The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Steel Development, has intensified efforts to revive Nigeria’s steel sector with the support of the World Bank. Minister Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu received a World Bank delegation on a strategic visit aimed at finalizing a comprehensive Roadmap for the revival of the industry, focusing on iron ore and other critical raw materials.

During the engagement, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to full collaboration, highlighted ongoing legislative reforms, and called for the inclusion of the Nigeria Solid Minerals & Raw Materials Exploration Agency (NSRMEA) in national geo-data acquisition initiatives to strengthen resource mapping and exploration capacity.

The World Bank outlined plans to engage industry stakeholders, complete the Steel Sector Assessment Survey, address technical challenges such as constraints at the Agbaja iron ore site, and deliver a draft assessment report by mid-2026. The partnership underscores Nigeria’s determination to modernize its steel sector, attract investment, and enhance local production capacity as part of broader economic diversification efforts.