TheCable

Abbas Umar Masanawa, managing director of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc, has called on government institutions and private organisations to patronise the company.

Masanawa made the call when Aminu Masari, governor of Katsina, inspected facilities at the company’s headquarters in Abuja.

The company, also referred to as The MINT, was established in 1963 by the Nigerian government in partnership with De La Rue of the UK.

It began full operation in 1965, producing currency notes and coins for the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as a wide range of security documents for the government, commercial banks, blue-chip companies, among others.

Masari described the equipment at the factory as “state-of-the-art”, saying governments and institutions in Nigeria had no business patronising foreign nations for their minting and printing needs.

He noted that it was in the economic and security interests of the Nigerian government to compel its institutions and agencies to patronise the company.

“Given the equipment that the MINT has installed, I am absolutely confident that there is no job in its purview which this company would not do satisfactorily, I am certain about that,” he said.

In his remarks, Masanawa urged the government to compel national institutions whose functions impact national security and economy to domesticate their printing jobs.

He said it is important for the government to realise the need for passport production to be domesticated in the MINT. Masanawa said it will boost national security and integrity, improve revenue generation, create job opportunities, and conserve foreign exchange.

Masanawa added that there is no minting or printing work that The MINT is not able to undertake.