The Federal Government has committed to expanding gemstone and jewellery-making centres across Nigeria as part of efforts to boost entrepreneurship in the mining industry.

This initiative is aimed at supporting the local value-addition policy and driving economic growth in the sector.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the announcement during his visit to the Laurel School of Mining in Abuja on Friday.

He praised the centre for its role in training jewellery and gemstone makers, noting that the products created there were comparable to international standards.

Alake emphasized, “From our raw materials such as gold, sapphire, gemstones, and the like, we are now seeing finished products—jewellery—being created at this centre. That is value addition.”

The Minister stressed the importance of these centres in generating employment, promoting industrialization, and increasing revenue for the country.

He further stated, “This is more than handiwork. This is industrialization; when you are manufacturing, when you are producing, it is industrialization, and that’s what we’re doing here.”

Alake also highlighted the export potential of the jewellery sector, which could become a major foreign exchange earner for Nigeria. He expressed optimism that many illegal operators in the mining sector would transition into legitimate businesses through the training provided at the centres.

The Minister assured that more such centres would be established across Nigeria as soon as the 2025 budget implementation begins.

He added, “In another year or so, we’ll be able to put figures to the production value; we will be able to say this centre has contributed x amount of dollars or naira or whatever it is to the GDP of Nigeria.”

Tope Adebanjo, the Managing Director of Laurel School of Mining, expressed gratitude to the Ministry for its support and outlined plans to further develop the industry, with an emphasis on wealth and employment generation for Nigerian youth.