This content was first published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review no. 6 in 2019. The information provided here is therefore current as of the original publication date.
Sapphires, tourmalines, aquamarines, emeralds and other beryls, white topaz, zircons. Though these Nigerian gemstones are appreciated in the world little is known about their marketing, their exploitation and use in the country.
The 2018 edition of African Gems & Jewellery Exhibition and Seminar (AGJES), held on December 6 and 7 at the Nigerian Airforce Conference Centre, Kado, Abuja was an attempt to focus this issue. In fact the theme was explicit, “Mines 2 Market: Collaborating to improve industry linkages; healing Africa through Gemstones”.
The starting point of this initiative can be found in the fact that although Nigeria is a country known to have over 44 deposits of different solid minerals including gemstones in large quantity, its natural wealth contributes very poorly (less than 0.3%) to national GDP.
Thus Nigerian development plans consider as crucial factors all the extractive activities including gemstone mining which is governed by inadequate regulations resulting in smuggling and ineffective taxation. Jummai Muhammed-Oluyede, a GIA gemologist, estimates at 3 US$ billion the annual lose due to illegal trade of gemstones and at 30% the Nigerian contribution to the Thai rough gemstone market.
She declared in an interview to a national online daily: “What AGJES is trying to do is to encourage the gemstone miners to bring the raw ones and get them polished and made into jewellery. It’s a marriage of the gemstone miners and marketers as well as of the jewellers themselves. With that they can promote the industry and increase activities in it, such as job creation and more”. Among the envisaged remedies, according to specialists, the new gemstone exploitation policies should include the registration of artisanal miners, the establishment of training courses and the encouragement of cut stones and finished jewelry manufacture in view of the domestic implementation of a stronger Nigerian gemstone value chain.
Gem News published on IGR – Italian Gemological Review #6 – Spring 2019
