Fayemi spends N700m to develop GIS web portal for ministry of mines and industry

-Ministry of solid minerals development spends a whooping N700m to develop web portal.

-The integrated web portal is expected to make information more accessible to stakeholders as well as ease the process of doing business.

Minister invests N700 million on website to improve ease of doing business.

Kayode Fayemi, minister of solid minerals development, yesterday, disclosed his ministry has spent N700 million to develop an Integrated Automation and Interactive GIS Web Portal to improve ‘Ease-of-Doing-Business’ in the mining sector.

He stated this at the launch of the portal in Abuja, yesterday.

According to him, operation of online application of mining title and licences issued by Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, online application of licences and permit issued by Mines Inspectorate Department and GIS laboratory, among others, would commence in the first quarter of 2018.

“The portal is a cutting edge initiative that leveraged technology for the innovation, efficiency and effectiveness in the mineral sector governance.” He said.

“The overall objective of the project is to increase provision of reliable information and knowledge, to enhance promotion of investments in the sector, using the technology-driven innovation and to increase the sector’s GDP.

“The portal was designed for mining investors to perform business processes such as online mining licences and mineral titles applications, online payment of royalties and fees, database for revenue drive and to block revenue leakages.

“The portal is credible and provides timely information about the mining sector, performs and responds to online queries, business intelligence/analytics, reports and statistical data generation.

“Mining investors could view all existing mining titles and track them anywhere in the world through the portal, access all agencies information, global mining news, live chat and document library, among others.

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“Lists of mining operators with valid licences and related minerals trade on private mineral buying centre and renewal of private mineral buying centres could also be accessed through the portal.”

According to the minister, “the portal is designed to serve as an input and decision support system to other entities of government MDAs.”

“We have spent about N700 million to develop this Integrated Automation and Interactive Geo Information Systems (GIS) Web Portal to improve ‘Ease-of-Doing-Business’ in the mining sector.

“This event is coming at a very auspicious time, on a broad scale; dividends of this administration’s commitment to turning around our economic fortunes,’’ he said.