Natural Resources

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Natural resources

Meaning of natural resources

Natural resources are the minerals, water, energy, land, plants, and animals which we find around us which are not made by man. Natural resources are valuable in their form.

Nigeria’s natural resources

Nigeria has many natural resources including:

1. Land: To grow products such as cocoa, groundnut and palm kernel.
2. Crude oil: For petrol, diesel, lubricant and to export to other markets for revenue.
3. Natural Gas: For energy to generate electricity and to export to other markets for revenue.
4. Forestry: For trees, for wood, energy and paper products and plants for drugs.
5. Water: For fishing for ourselves and for exports to other markets for revenue.
6. Iron ore: Used to make steel which is crucial for constructing machinery, tools, ships, and cars.
7. Coal: For energy.

Raw materials

Our natural resources such as the plants on our land or the products from our farms are raw materials used to make other things. It is raw because the materials in its natural state before it is converted into something else.

Some raw materials in Nigeria and their uses are:

1. Cocoa: Cocoa comes from cocoa trees in the western part of Nigeria and is used to make chocolate and all chocolate products such as Milo and Bournvita.
2. Timber/Wood: Wood comes from trees. Different trees gives us different kinds of wood such as mahogany and oak. Wood is used to make furniture and also used as energy for cooking.
3. Coal: Coal is found in the earth and has to be mined. Coal is also a form of energy which if burned, can run machines. In the past, many trains were fuelled by coal.
4. Cotton: Cotton grow on cotton trees and has to be picked from the trees when ready. Cotton is the raw material for clothes. Cotton is one of the most common fabrics in the world and it is durable ad can be dyed into different colours.
5. Cassava: Cassava is a tuber plant like yam which means it grow under the ground and has to be dug up. Cassava is used as raw material to make garri. Garri is popular and used to make eba or is drunk with groundnut and sugar.
6. Groundnut: Groundnut are plant products. It has many uses apart from being edible. Groundnut are turned into groundnut oil which is used all over the world to cook.
7. Gold: Gold is a mineral which like coal can be found in the earth. Gold is used all over the world as a standard for measuring money. It is also used to make jewellery and gold plated products such as taps, plates and cutlery.
8. Millet: It is the sixth most important grain in the world. It is a raw material in cereal, some types of bread and soups.
9. Crude oil: It is a raw material for petroleum which is needed for our cars, diesel which is needed to run some of the machines in the factories and generators. Kerosene for cooking, among others
10. Palm oil: It is used for soap.
11. Rubber: It is used for shoes.
12. Hides and skin: It is used for drums.
13. Limestone: It is used for cement.

 

Importance of raw materials

1. They make products that are produced from them cheaper.
2. They create jobs for people.
3. They bring in foreign exchange when they are exported.

 

 

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