The World Bank has expressed commitment to partnering with the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) to strengthen Nigeria’s mining sector and boost its contribution to economic growth and development.

The commitment was made during a visit by a delegation of the World Bank, led by the Senior Operations Officer (Energy and Extractives), Noora Arfaa, to the MCO on Friday in Abuja.

Discussions between the organisations focused on areas of mutual interest, including leveraging technology to enhance the efficiency and transparency of mining operations in Nigeria.

Ms Arfaa acknowledged the MCO’s contributions to transforming Nigeria’s mining sector through digitalisation and transparency initiatives.

She reiterated the bank’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development goals, particularly in the extractives sector.

She said the purpose of the visit was to explore potential collaborations and support Nigeria’s mining sector to become a significant driver of the nation’s economy.

In his remarks, the Director-General of the MCO, Mr Obadiah Nkom, said the administration of President Bola Tinubu remained committed to repositioning the mining sector to contribute significantly to Nigeria’s GDP.

Mr Nkom added that the discussions also aimed to ensure the sector’s optimal contribution to the economy, while promoting sustainable practices to ensure environmental protection and social responsibility.

(NAN)