Nigeria, Sept. 11 -- The House of Representatives on Thursday took a major step towards reviving Nigeria's moribund coal industry with a public hearing on a bill seeking to repeal the Nigerian Coal Corporation Act, Cap. 95, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and replace it with the Nigerian Coal Development Commission.

The bill, titled "A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Nigerian Coal Corporation Act and Enact the Nigerian Coal Development Commission Enugu and for Related Matters (HB.667)," is sponsored by Chimaobi Atu (APC, Enugu).

The bill had scaled second reading in March and was thereafter committed to the Committee on Solid Minerals Development for further legislative action.

Speaking at the hearing, Mr Atu noted that the crea...