Nigerian Vice President engages Russian stakeholders to revive ALSCON reactivation plans

In St. Petersburg, Russia, on July 27, 2023, Vice President Kashim Shettima reaffirmed Nigeria's unwavering commitment to reviving the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria. He emphasized the importance of actively engaging with key stakeholders in the industry to achieve this goal.

Shettima made remarks during a meeting held with the management of Russian Aluminium Company, UC RUSAL, and other project stakeholders on the sidelines of the Russia-Africa Summit in St. Petersburg, "The sooner we get this smelter back to production, the better for everyone. We need to walk the talk; the Nigerian people deserve better."

In a statement titled 'Reviving ALSCON: VP Shettima held meeting with stakeholders, reaffirms FG's commitment to resuscitate smelter,' the Office of the Vice President's State House Director of Information, Olusola Abiola, disclosed the following on July 27^th: The Federal Government remains determined to revive the ALSCON smelter.

The purpose of the meeting was to advance the Federal Government's initiatives in reviving production lines at ALSCON. This involved re-engaging with UC RUSAL and other partners to collaborate on the smelter's resuscitation efforts.⁣

After listening to the UC RUSAL management's presentation, the Nigerian Vice President, Shettima, highlighted its significant economic advantages. These benefits include its positive impact on energy transition, substantial job creation both directly and indirectly, and its considerable contribution to the growth of small businesses.

He called upon all the stakeholders involved to accelerate efforts in formulating a plan of action for resuming production at the company.⁣

Present at the meeting were several distinguished officials, including Nigeria's Ambassador to Russia, Shehu Abdullahi, and Nigeria's Ambassador to Germany, Yusuf Tugar. Also in attendance were Gabriel Aduda, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Mary Ogbe, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and Gbenga Komolafe, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, among other notable personalities.⁣

Vice President Shettima recently attended the Russia–Africa Economic and Humanitarian Forum, which Russian President Vladimir Putin inaugurated. Alongside other African leaders, they gathered to participate in the event.

In his opening remarks, President Putin highlighted the significant untapped potential for trade and economic cooperation between Russia and African nations, emphasizing that the trade turnover of $18 billion in 2022 was just the beginning. He reaffirmed his nation's dedication to promoting food security in Africa and globally, emphasizing Russia's ongoing efforts to contribute to a fairer and balanced global food distribution system.

The Russian leader emphasized their country's commitment to bolstering support for Africa, given that the continent possesses 65 per cent of the world's arable land and approximately 10 per cent of its domestic renewable freshwater sources. They acknowledged the immense potential Africa holds for further advancements in agriculture.