Nigeria exports gemstones worth $3bill yearly says Saraki

Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Gbemisola Saraki, said gemstones worth $3 billion are exported yearly from Nigeria but with low-revenue benefit returns.
 
Saraki disclosed this in Abuja, at the graduation ceremony of the second batch of the master Gemstone, Jewellery making and design training. She said the ministry would transform Nigeria from a consumer of foreign jewellery products to high-quality local jewellery producers to save the country from huge foreign exchange expended on jewellery imports.
 
She explained that Nigeria with its large population has a huge, insatiable appetite for jewellery and that it is imperative to create a local industry that would substantially meet local demand and create jobs.
 
“Some of the most popular Nigerian gemstones include Sapphire, Aquamarine, Beryl, Emerald, Tourmaline, Ruby, Garnet, Amethyst and Zircon, which are located across the Country. But, sadly, they are illegally exported out of the country in raw forms.
 
More details at:
https://guardian.ng/business-services/nigeria-exports-gemstones-worth-3bill-yearly-says-saraki