The Nigerian government on Thursday called on foreign investors to tap the vast resources of coal deposits in the country estimated at 2.74 billion tons.

Aboki Zhawa, permanent secretary of Nigeria's Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, told reporters at a news briefing in the capital Abuja that "coal, discovered in the country in 1909, is still largely untapped."

He said coal was first discovered in Udi Hill in Enugu state, southern Nigeria, in 1909 followed by more coal outcrops found in other parts of the country.

The ministry scribe explained that five economically important seams of sub-bituminous coal were "discovered outcropping at intervals along the Enugu escarpment over a distance of 144 km from Enugu in Enugu state, to Benue state, also in southern Nigeria."

He added that "the coal outcropping also covered Okaba and Ogboyoga-Odokpani areas of Kogi state (central Nigeria)."

According to him, coal which occurred with lignite also occurred in the southern states of Imo, Delta and Anambra. Coking coal, he said, also occurred in Lafia/Obi in Nasarawa state, central Nigeria, which could be used for the production of metallurgical coke.

With the available digital maps and geoscience information the ministry had on all minerals in the country, he said, their quantities, types and locations would enable investors to mine easily and accurately.

Source: Xinhua