FG launches eMC+ to ease mining  businesses, develop  sector

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

Speaking during the Opening Ceremony of the 2022 Mining Week and the official launching of the electronic application in Abuja, the Director General, Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, MCO, Engr Simon Obadiah Nkom disclosed that the newly upgrade system was in line with the mandate of the best practices in the sector.

Nkom noted that the eMC+ was created and launched in the bid to advance technologically, and operate effectively and efficiently, adding that it will enable the ease of doing business.

He said: “It is an electronic mining cadastral system and you are very much aware the mandate of the Nigerian mining cadastral is administration and management of mineral titles. So we must be able to now do it in the best way possibly. And at the end of the day in line with the law, because when you look at practices of mineral titles in the world, you will know that definitely there is a need to be able to now spice it up with principles, which is simply like priority, transparency and a lot of things which makes it different from other countries and makes people to come here.

“The electronic filing system initially were computerized, but now we have migrated to an online system, which simply means that you can stay anywhere in the world. You can even use your phone to be able to have access to this system. By the time you have access to the Mining Cadastre Office information, it makes the system very transparent and accessible.

“It can  save time and also eliminate the stress of travelling. At the end of the day, you find out that it becomes more effective and more efficient, and easily usable. You can use your phone or laptops to operate the eMC+.

He further added that through the new upgrade, the country can have an increase in revenue generation, saying, “looking at it locally. It will now encourage foreign investments into the sector. More people will be able to see its transparency, also Nigeria will be able to benefit from these aspect in revenue generation.

Speaking on MCO’s achievement in terms of boosting the country’s economy, he said,  the agency has over the years surpassed each year’s revenue.

“over the past years, we have surpass each year’s revenue irrespective of the challenges and the COVID-19 pandemic. We surpassed from 2019 up to date, in fact, in 2021, We had an 86% increase of revenue. So we hope at the end of the day, we’ll continue to be able to add adequate value and revenue to our economy irrespective of illegal activities in the sector.”

“Therefore, I look at this launch as just the beginning of the walk. We need to continually improve on it, we will continue to upgrade the system to make sure it is more compatible with all other systems.

“And most importantly there are a lot of competitions in the world. When people come to Nigeria, they ask if the  laws are favorable

The laws and geology are favourable. We have abundant minerals, mining in the country is very transparent. We are able to now form good policies and whatever decisions that will make Nigeria, a destination in the mining world.

“Again by the mandate of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre, this is just the beginning. We are supposed to look at other countries. And definitely one thing that the mining cadastre does is not to think of challenges, but to think of how to move forward irrespective of the challenges,he said