What do you believe is the single most important factor driving up the cost of living in Nigeria?

At the recent African Gold Gemstone Jewelry Exhibition & Conference in Lagos, organised by the African Minerals Development Centre, an entity of the African Union, and Women in Mining in Nigeria, the participants emphasised the need for closer collaboration to maximise the benefits of the value chain.

The President and founder of Women in Mining in Nigeria, Dr Janet Adeyemi, stated that if a proper framework was put in place by African governments, the mining sector could bring economic prosperity to countries on the continent because of the huge jobs it could generate.

According to Adeyemi, a lot needs to be done to deepen women’s participation to push for the growth and development of gemstone exploration, processing and pricing on the continent.

She said, “The business of today is holding the annual Gold and Gemstone conference exhibition we started three years ago. But I must tell you that it has been a tough journey. Tough, some borne out of personal experience. I have gone through discrimination, I have gone through what you call stereotyping, and that’s what led to the establishment of Women in Mining.

“I started the association of women in mining with local women whom I enjoy their company. Nobody was knowledgeable, nobody was anything, and we started. And that is where the power of collaboration comes up. When I started the Women in Mining in Nigeria, the women followed suit and so many organisations have come in.”

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