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Commercial Quantities of Coal Discovered in Uromi, Edo State as Government Woos Investors
Edo State Commissioner for Information Kassim Afegbua announced the discovery of commercial coal deposits in Uromi during a press briefing in Benin City.
The Edo State Government has confirmed the discovery of coal deposits in commercial quantities around the Uromi community in Esan North‑East Local Government Area, a find that positions the state alongside Enugu and other traditional coal‑producing regions. Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kassim Afegbua, made the announcement on Tuesday, May 19, at a press briefing in Benin City, framing it as a gateway to industrial revival and a magnet for investors.
"Edo State is not just about oil and gas," Afegbua said. "We have coal in commercial quantities, limestone, gold, and vast arable land. The message we are sending to the investment community is simple: come and see, come and invest." The commissioner tied the discovery to the administration's broader ease‑of‑doing‑business reforms, which he said had created a stable regulatory environment that reduces the friction historically associated with setting up extractive operations in the state.
The Uromi discovery has been quietly explored for months, with preliminary surveys yielding enough data to convince the government to go public. Coal mining in Nigeria has a long but troubled history, and Edo's entry into the sector will be watched closely to see whether it can avoid the environmental and labour pitfalls that have plagued other coal communities. Afegbua insisted that the government would enforce strict environmental standards and ensure that host communities benefit directly from any extraction activity.
In a related development, the commissioner disclosed that the state government has taken delivery of 50 CNG‑powered 52‑seater buses, with an additional 50 on the way. The buses, which run on cleaner compressed natural gas, are to be deployed across the three senatorial districts to ease transportation costs for residents — a tangible, if modest, counterpoint to the larger promise of coal‑driven prosperity.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more on Edo State's economic development, natural resource discoveries, and investment opportunities.
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