An Abuja based Jewellery company, Mina Stones is set to empower women in the art of Jewellery making.
The CEO of Mina Stones, Lotana Egwuatu made this known while speaking about the Gems and Jewellery exhibition which is scheduled to hold in Abuja in October.
Egwatu who also is convening the event said the time has come for women to take their lead in the jewellery business in Nigeria and Africa at large.
She further stated that the event which is the first of its kind in West Africa will attract no cost of registration as there will be in attendance of over 1000 companies.
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“The market for gemstones and jewellery globally is huge so this is an opportunity for Nigeria to finally get that force where we are known for specific gemstones like the Mambila Sapphire, Nigerian bearing tourmaline, and we also have some very good quality gemstones that we find here including granite and all of that.
“At Winners Stones what we do is to source for materials locally from different states in the country, and we employ people who work for us in cutting and polishing gemstones, some market for us, there are people who bring gemstones from the mines for us.
“The market is new in Nigeria because people don’t know we have these things here. We have to explain to people about gemstones. Most of my clients are based of word of mouth which has been effective so far, but the market generally, we noticed that Nigerians don’t respond very well because they don’t know that these things are actually here and could be done here.
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“We are the only company doing this for now. Our company trains people and if there are people who are interested in processing gemstones and make jewellery we train people on that.
A recent publication on Punch once noted that.
‘Nigeria is rich in gemstones but has not stirred itself enough to maximise their potential. One Mrs. Winifred Oyo-Ita also noted at a forum in 2014 that;
“There is no official market for gemstones displays in Nigeria, neither has there been any estimated reserve of the quantity being mined or traded,” adding that, “A Nigerian blue sapphire that weighed 4.03 carats was sold for $8,625 in the United States of America recently. Hence the more reason to develop the Gemstone business in Nigeria.
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