AfricaPress-Tanzania: BUSINESS opportunities in the mining sector in Kagera Region are likely to increase following reports that Muleba District is endowed with nickel deposits.
The deposits in Muleba District add to the wealth of mineral resources found in Ngara District, further signalling a golden opportunity for Kagera residents who stand a good chance to benefit from this wealth.
A geological survey report revealed that Muleba District has a big amount of nickel sprawling along the undeveloped Kabanga nickel-cobalt project in Ngara District.
Kagera Region is endowed with various minerals, including gold, tin and nickel. It borders three East African Community (EAC) countries – Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi while Kenya can also be reached through Lake Victoria.
The region is also a gateway to South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), with a combined market of about 300 million. This increases trade links.
The Kabanga Nickel is an active mine exploration project 130 km south west of Lake Victoria. Kabanga’s 58 million-tonne nickel resource is regarded as one of the best undeveloped greenfield nickel sulphide deposits in the world.
The Kabanga nickel project brings fresh hopes to Tanzanians in terms of employment creation and national economic growth.
A joint venture firm, Tembo Nickel Corporation as a result of union between the government and UK-based LZ Nickel Limited, will yield huge economic benefits and bring about major transformation in the mining sector.
Such benefits will be realised due to class one nickel found at Kabanga through tax, dividends, loyalties, creation of jobs, growth of business and technological advancement.
Ngara MP Ndayisaba Ruholo said the presence of nickel put the region in a vantage position due to the fact that when investment started, a number of factories would also be set up and thus create more employment opportunities.
Among the benefits include the establishment of industries for the production of final products obtained from minerals, as well as welcoming investors in electric vehicle batteries.
The achievement is a demonstration that President Magufuli’s vision and directive made in his inauguration speech in the National Assembly encouraged the construction of industries, smelting, refining and manufacturing of mineral products to be done in the country was becoming a reality.
The partnership will also strengthen the government’s reserve, taking into account all the money going to be stored in the country’s banks, widening the mining sector and making possible for the construction of more mineral smelters.
The region is also home to other minerals like cobalt, copper, gold and platinum among others. Besides minerals found at Kabanga, nickel is also found in Kahama District, Katavi, Kigoma, Lindi and Dodoma.
LZ Nickel Limited is a United Kingdom (UK) mining company with investment capital in Tanzania amounting $5.4bn, offering employment to 227,000 Tanzanians, while China has investments amounting $5bn offering employment to 315,000 Tanzanians.
