The establishment of Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited (ASCL) was conceived to be the driving force of the nation’s quest for technological advancement.

The construction of Ajaokuta Steel Company commenced under the administration of Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979 and was commissioned in 1983, when the project had achieved about 95 percent completion rate. As at 1983 when it was commissioned, the following rolling mills of the steel plant were in operation: Light, Billets, Wire rod, medium section and structural mills. It was planned then that profits generated would provide the needed funds for the completion of the remaining five percent of the blast furnace.

Alas, after President Shehu Shagari’s removal from office in 1983, the steel plant was abandoned, while most of its engineers trained in Russia to work in the plant, left to
join other companies, others were retired. The four mills
in Ajaokuta Steel Company between 1985- 1987 started optimal production, regrettably, international politics played a devastating blow to the dream of steel development in the country which led to short-down of
the Steel Complex.

Since then, successive governments, without political will and technological ideology have made effort in resuscitating the ailing industry but to no avail. The administration of former president Olusegun Obasanjo, in a view to revitalise the moribund industry concession it, despite criticisms from steel workers and labour leaders, to Global System Steel Holdings Limited (GSHL) in 2005 with yet, another disastrous outcome.

Under the concession agreement, knowing full well that the
future of the Steel Company is not effulgent, President Umaru Yar’adua terminated the agreement in 2008 and set
up an Interim Management Committee to oversee it because the concession company GIHL was trading in iron
ore and making billions of naira without showing commitments to revitalizing the company. Through the
Ministry of Mines and Steel, the federal government said
the steel plant would not be closed down after the speculation that the equipment are obsolete.

In one of the company’s press briefing in 2012, Engr. Isah,
debunked the insinuations that the steel company’s plant
was obsolete. He said the plant’s facilities and equipment
are in good conditions generally, adding that passion and
nationalism have been the propelling force behind the
workers, who have guarded the equipment against vandals
in disguise.

There was a technical audit report by the Ukrainians
recently which states that the situation of the steel plant’s
equipment and facility are satisfactory. “Technically, the
Ajaokuta plant’s equipment and facilities are generally in
good condition”.

According to the Ukrainian Engineers, the blast furnace
model which Ajaokuta steel plant has is the best in the
world.

“In 2010, the world statistical year book put the total crude
steel rates produced globally at 1.4 billion tones, of which
74 percent of it was through blast furnace. This is the
technology adopted in Ajaokuta steel plant, then how can a
technology that produces such percentage of world steel be
considered obsolete?” if vision 20-20-20 is to be realized
President Muhammadu Buhari should disregard the report
compiled by the Department of International Development
(DFID) that said the economic value of Ajaokuta Steel
Company was marginal and urged government to
completely shut down the steel plant. Multiplier effects,
social security and economic potentials of an enterprise are
greater indices in measuring profitability.”

Experts have said that the steel plant, if completed, has the
capacity of producing 1.3 million metric tonnes of liquid
steel as well as net provider of employment.

“What is required in Ajaokuta is adequate funding and
maintenance. There is a steel plant in Ukraine that is over
105 years old and still working perfectly with minimal
maintenance,” President Buari should develop the will to
reactivate the steel company. At optimal production level,
the steel plant at Itakpe Iron Ore can generate over one
million jobs for teeming youths if properly funded because
many cortege industries that will make use of the by-
products from the steel mill would be established.

The federal government cannot create jobs through
establishment and duplication of agencies which in many
cases be scrapped due to policy’s inconsistency by
successive governments.

The surest means of creating jobs in developing countries
like ours is true technological initiative and advancement
which will lead to industrial revolution. India is a typical
example; the TATA Motor Company of India was established
the same period Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited was
established, today, TATA is the major supply of military
trucks and other heavy articulated vehicles to Nigeria. It is
ridiculous that in the 21st century, the giant of Africa is still
importing slabs, roofing sheets, simple agricultural tools
such as hoe and cutlass, glass ware etc from countries
which became independent after Nigeria. High cost of
materials for the construction of distillation units, pipelines
for feedstock and products transfer are the major claim
why we cannot establish functional refinery as a country,
but this are materials that could be gotten from Ajaokuta
Steel Company Limited with no cost of importation.

The neglect of Ajaokuta Steel Company is not just a neglect
of Kogi state, but a grave neglect and marginalization of the
middle-belt region of Nigeria and an attempt to endanger
the future of the Nigerian youths in general. If a whooping
thirty nine point four billion naira (N39.4b) can be
approved for oil and gas exploration in the lake Chad basin
by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as
reported on the 12th of December, 2015 and at a time the
present government is thinking of diversifying economy
from oil to other sectors like solid mineral exploration and
Agriculture due to fall in crude oil price, same amount with
foreign loan and Public-Private-partnership initiative can
reactivate the Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited which can
create millions of jobs for Nigerian youth.

Source::: www.ebiraland.com/2016/04/save-nigeria-economy-by-rolling-out.html

Ohk mama

Nigerian Government need to act fast, theives are at work on this Natural resources, where the Mining minister self

Dr. Kayode Fayemi abeg intervain on this matter
Since u don dey office weting you do please

Nigerian Youths needs this Job

#Operation_Revive_Ajaokuta_Steal_Company. For better Nigeria.

The sooner the better


Please fund Ajaokuta

Same with glass industries... With the kind of sand in Niger delta, I don't think Nigeria should be importing glass.

There's detailed research on ASC by a lady on this forum which explained the intricacies of politics/bureaucracy and complicity of some government officials in ensuring the project never work.

It even went as far as mentioning certain individuals in private sector and as well in past / present administration who had enmeshed themselves in the system for selfish interests.

I forwarded the links to channels TV but didn't get any reply but will try and upload it here if I can get hold of it.

TheFreeOne:
There's detailed research on ASC by a lady on this forum which explained the intricacies of politics/bureaucracy and complicity of some government officials in ensuring the project never work.

It even went as far as mentioning certain individuals in private sector and as well in past / present administration who had enmeshed themselves in the system for selfish interests.

I forwarded the links to channels TV but didn't get any reply but will try and upload it here if I can get hold of it.

Please do that

Make I book space first

feldido:
Same with glass industries... With the kind of sand in Niger delta, I don't think Nigeria should be importing glass.

Wait oh. Are you saying we import glass in this country?

binoosmart:


Please do that

I know the lady who wrote that article and she a friend to a very close boss of mine, both are from Kogi.

rudebouy:


Wait oh. Are you saying we import glass in this country?

lol. How many glass factories do we have in the country?

Can we advise the op and author of this wonderful write-up to get media houses like Sahara reporters and premium times to rebroadcast this?

Media pressure can play a long role in getting the minister to do something. Cos I fear he may get compromised soon.

op,
how much do you need to resucitate ajaokuta steel

2sexycom:
I know the lady who wrote that article and she a friend to a very close boss of mine, both are from Kogi.

Please I had like to know if. She's still active on this forum. Ill like to contact her.

rudebouy:

Wait oh. Are you saying we import glass in this country?

Lol Guy u are a funny somebody oh

rudebouy:


Wait oh. Are you saying we import glass in this country?

Are u kidding me? Where do u think they come from?

Ebiragirl

Interesting moniker...

International politics/personal interest vs common sense/National interest

It's a miracle that this nation called nigeria is still surviving considering the various business interest in the country's economy, international business organizations in collaboration with some Nigerians have rendered the economy a completely dependent and importing one and they have tried by all means possible to maintain this business arrangements of theirs. May God pull us out of this. Amen

President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Prof. Yemi Osibanjo: A plea to revive Ajaokuta Steel Company - Sign the Petition!
https://www.change.org/p/president-muhammadu-buhari-vice-president-prof-yemi-osibanjo-a-plea-to-revive-ajaokuta-steel-company-fa0f5ff5-d622-4482-b240-c0e8a6a74d68?recruiter=532277705&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=whatsapp

Pls guys! Let us all endeavour to sign this petition!

the Russian has agreed to come back and overlook what was left this company when a concerned Nigerian took revival of the company on herself, she even made a detailed account of her mission.
i read the report and was like wow, she made some really good moves. she contacted the Russians government and later submitted her reports on the minister of natural resources table in person.

how sad, her report was unattended to as we the concerned citizens have not heard any word since then

the federal government may not achieve it ultimate goal it promised in it full capacity if ajaokuta steel company is not revived

God, pls, guide our leaders right

the west willingly manipulated that industrie...

this is about money...

they can not allow you to have your own steel plant....

what wonders me alot is,you go ask your enemies about your own things....

ofcourse they will want you to scrap your own and only buy from them...

i still dont understand that black-peple dont want to understand that white-people are their enemies....

its better for black-people to realize this or else africa shall never be developed...that you can be sure...

Ajaokuta steel is being discussed on Channels TV LIVE now.

The Russians via a phone call said they've been in contact the govt regarding making it work since 1999 regarding ASCL.

Minister of solid minerals (Kayode Fayemi) is in the studio. He said the issue with ASCL is sanctity of contracts which the govt has been trying to sort out but hadn't suceeded.