ECOWAS DESCRIBES NIGERIA’s eMC+ Portal AS MODEL FOR THE REGION
…. AS IT CALLS FOR SYNERGY 17-05-25
By Sadiq Aminu The Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, has described the Nigeria Mining Cadestre web base portal as a model for the African region .
The leader of the delegation Mr Baidoe Williams made remark during their visit of to the Nigeria Mining Cadestre, Abuja to finalise frameworks for a regional Geo-Extractive Observatory and Mining Cadastral System.
Mr Baidoe Williams who said the essence of the visit was to have first hand information of the agency’s Cadestre web base that was introduced to it appreciated the Nigeria Government for the comprehensive work on the electronic system.
“We are having a national experts meeting and it’s the normal procedure within the ECOWAS system where if you introduce anything for us, original tests, you need to bring the member states around the table for us to discuss and have a common consensus before we pass it through the statutory decision-making process for adoption”, he reiterated.
He reveals that “Cooperation, harmonization and integration is what drives the ECOWAS operations . The objectives for member states to cooperate, harmonize and then eventually we will get regional integration. So, integration in all spheres. It can be economic integration, cultural integration, social integration”.
The Chairman, National Expert of ECOWAS Madu Hassan Fika commended Nigeria for being one of the first to migrate to the electronic system and was confident that other Africa countries would emulate to ensure the dream of the region to establish the geo-extracting observatory and cadastral system become a reality.
“The idea of establishing that is to create a platform that will give a one-stop shop for the entire region cadastral system. So, coming here today actually will give us, especially those that have not gone far in terms of developing the technology as we have here in the Mining Cadastral Office, to be able to implement something that we have here in Nigeria in their own member states”Madu restated.
The Director General NMCO, Mr Obadiah Nkom was delighted about the visit
and explained that the migration to the Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus (EMC+) system in 2022, was part of government’s drive to reposition the sector and boost investor’s confidence to foster regional growth and development.
He explained that Nigeria successes in the electronic data base was not only for the nation but for the continent.
“This collaboration means that investors can access harmonised and transparent geological data across ECOWAS states,” Nkom said. “Our systems are rooted in the 2011 Mining Regulations and built on principles of technical integrity, transparency, and investor confidence.”
According to him, government’s commitment through workable policies to sanitise the mining sector as championed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has brought about significant result.
“The Minister believes in building investor-friendly ecosystems through collaborative development,” Nkom noted.
The Agency’s Electronic Mining Cadestre System, eMC+ was demonstrated live for the delegates to see and also a tour of the Agency ‘s operational facilities.
The ECOWAS high powered delegation comprises technical experts and national representatives from the African region.