Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar-Audu says funding is the greatest challenge in efforts to revive the moribund Ajaokuta Steel Plant as Nigeria needs an excess of $2 billion to invest in it.

The Minister made this known in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital during his official visit to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and other indigenous steel sector stakeholders in the state.

He noted that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu is working to grow the economy of the country by $1 trillion which involves supporting indigenous key players in the steel sector to industrialise Nigeria.

Abubakar-Audu also maintained that there is an ongoing discussion to have an industrial park at the Ajaokuta Steel Mill to attract key players in the sector. He explained that his Ministry is engaging key industry players across the country with a view to turning around the economy.

President Bola Tinubu has officially resumed work at the Villa, a day after returning from his trip abroad.

The President walked from his residence to his office accompanied by his security aides, his Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila; the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, and other aides.

President Tinubu traveled to the Netherlands on the 23rd of April at the invitation of the Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte. While in the Netherlands, he also met with the Nigerian-Dutch business community.

He proceeded to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the World Economic Forum (WEF) where he engaged global leaders with the view to winning more investors in Nigeria.

After the meeting in Saudi Arabia, President Tinubu was said to have proceeded to Europe on a private visit.

He returned to the country on Wednesday, after over two weeks of being away.

The governors of Kaduna and Plateau states, Uba Sani and Caleb Mutfwang paid a visit to the President on Thursday.

The reason for their visits could not be ascertained at the time of filing the report.