By Martha Agas
The Gemstone Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria (GMAN) has urged the Federal Government to simplify export procedures, tackle smuggling and promote local processing to unlock Nigeria’s $3 billion gemstone export potential.

GMAN President, Adeniran Ajibade, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

He spoke on the sidelines of the 11th Nigeria Mining Week, where stakeholders examined strategies for developing Nigeria’s gemstone value chains.

Ajibade said Nigeria possessed diverse, high-quality gemstones distributed across the country, with production largely dominated by artisanal and small-scale miners.

He said the sector could generate about $3 billion in trade, boost foreign exchange earnings and create employment opportunities for young Nigerians.

Ajibade noted that GMAN conducted a baseline study covering gemstone resources in northern and southern Nigeria, which confirmed their widespread distribution.

“It generates hard currency, so it will boost our foreign exchange earnings, and, of course, much of it may not be reflected because there is some very high level of smuggling,” he said.

Ajibade said Nigerian gemstones had gained recognition in international markets, including Tucson, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Israel and India, despite limited mechanisation and value addition.

He, however, said widespread smuggling made it difficult to determine the sector’s actual contribution to the economy.

The GMAN president called for government support for feasibility studies, local processing and branding to improve the quality, value and international competitiveness of Nigerian gemstones.

“Once we add value to it and we do the branding, definitely we can achieve great results for the nation,” he said.

Ajibade said the association was ready to collaborate with government and private investors to develop the sector and attract international gemstone and jewellery brands.

He said GMAN was collaborating with the Thailand Gem and Jewelry Traders Association and stakeholders from Brazil, India and Sri Lanka to exchange knowledge and expand market access.

He urged the government to involve industry operators in formulating export regulations, noting that miners and dealers understood the practical challenges facing the sector.

Ajibade said legitimate international buyers should be able to purchase Nigerian gemstones, repatriate their funds and export the stones through simple, transparent and efficient procedures.

He also called for the full activation of the International Gemstone Centre built by the Federal Government in Ibadan to serve as a hub for miners, dealers, investors and buyers.

Similarly, Prof. Akinade Olatunji, immediate past President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, advocated local processing to increase the economic benefits Nigeria derived from its gemstone resources.

Olatunji, a professor of Applied Geochemistry, said Nigeria had historically produced some of the world’s finest gemstones, particularly in Plateau and Nasarawa states.

He decried inadequate industry records, which he said had limited knowledge of the sector’s actual contribution to the national economy.

“Unfortunately, we don’t keep records. Now, if you look at the places where they have mined in this country, either in Oyo, Nasarawa, Plateau, or Kaduna states, we produced some of the best,” he said.

Olatunji urged Nigeria to strengthen domestic processing capacity instead of exporting rough gemstones to countries such as Thailand for cutting and polishing.

He said developing the local value chain would retain more economic benefits within Nigeria while creating employment opportunities for young people.

The professor also urged geology and mining engineering graduates to acquire practical field experience and pursue careers in the sector to support its sustainable development.

NAN reports that stakeholders made the recommendations during a panel session titled “Developing Nigeria’s Gemstone Value Chains” at the mining week.

They called for increased local processing, skills development and effective branding to strengthen the industry and create more jobs for Nigerians. (NAN)

Edited by Kamal Tayo Oropo

The Assembly of Healthcare Professionals has declared a seven-day warning strike over the state government’s failure to address its demands for improved allowances and salary adjustments fully.

The assembly’s chairman, Ibrahim Balange, announced the decision on Wednesday, saying the strike would begin at midnight on 14 October.

The unions under the assembly include the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), and the National Union of Allied Health Professionals (NUAHP).

Mr Balange said the assembly issued a seven-day strike notice to the government on 7 October, but the expiration of the notice did not yield satisfactory resolution of the outstanding issues.

He said the struggle for improved allowances began in 2024, when the state government indicated its intention to review the benefits of healthcare professionals in line with what is obtained in the federal government service.

According to him, the workers were shortchanged during the implementation of the minimum wage, prompting them to complain that the salary table approved for their members differed from what they were being paid.

He said a committee was later established to investigate the matter and made recommendations in March 2025, but the government had not yet implemented them.

Mr Balange explained that the workers were later engaged by the Office of Public Service Reform, which offered them 10 per cent of the difference between their salaries and those of their counterparts in federal institutions.

He said the assembly rejected the offer and issued a three-week ultimatum to the government, which was later extended by one week following further engagements.

According to him, the workers suspended plans to commence a strike on 7 September after some stakeholders intervened and promised to address their concerns.

He, however, said the assembly was later informed that the governor had approved a 15 per cent increment, only five percentage points higher than the previous offer.

Mr Balange expressed dissatisfaction that the assembly was not involved in preparing the salary adjustment table or determining the increment before the decision was communicated to it.

He said the assembly demanded full implementation of the allowances and salary structure applicable to healthcare professionals in the federal government service, but had indicated its willingness to accept 75 per cent as a compromise.

“Some of our members have not even agreed to 75 per cent, but we have to look at the matter holistically and consider how to move forward,” he said.

Mr Balange warned that the disparity in remuneration could undermine the state’s healthcare system, noting that Katsina had previously been regarded as one of the states with relatively attractive healthcare employment conditions.

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He said the assembly remained open to negotiations with the government but insisted on improving the allowances to ensure fairness and retain healthcare professionals in the state.

The chairman said the assembly would reconvene after the seven-day warning strike to review the outcome and decide on next steps.

He warned that failure to reach an agreement with the government could lead to an ultimatum for an indefinite strike, adding that the industrial action was being undertaken in accordance with labour laws.

Mr Balange apologised to the government and the public for any inconvenience the strike might cause, while reaffirming the assembly’s commitment to protecting its members’ welfare and professional interests. (NAN)