The local dimension stone industry, which involves the mining, processing, marketing and usage of marbles, granites and similar stones can generate one million jobs if properly harnessed, the Coordinator of the Sustainable Management of Mineral Resources Project, Mr. Linus Adie, said on Tuesday.



Similarly, the World Bank has decided to site a stone laboratory in Nigeria.



The bank was initially considering Nigeria and Ghana for the location of the laboratory, but eventually decided to bring it to Nigeria.



Speaking in Abuja at the inaugural meeting of the Dimension Stone Association of Nigeria, Adie said Nigeria had the resources to be self sufficient in the marble and granite industry, adding that the manpower only needed little improvement on the capacity.



He regretted that despite being of better quality in comparism with imported varieties, the local dimension stones remained uncompetitive because of their high cost of production.



"The cost of production can come down by 100 per cent if properly mined using modern technology," he said.



Adie further explained that a study commissioned into the local dimension stone industry recommended that Nigerian operators needed to be exposed to global practices and should be trained in mining processes and marketing strategies.



He said that the operators had been receiving cooperation from the international community and had also been offered a prominent place at the upcoming dimension stone trade fair to be held in Italy in May 2010.



According to the Project Coordinator of SMMRP, which is a World Bank project in the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, a consultant has been engaged to prepare Nigerian operators for the trade fair and package their samples to meet international standards.



He expressed hope that the operators would return from the trade fair with investors, who would help develop the Nigerian dimension industry.