In the industrial geography of Nigeria, major cement manufacturing plants are located near interior rural limestone deposits such as Ewekoro (Ogun State), Nkalagu (Ebonyi State), and Ashaka (Gombe State), whereas grain flour mills are predominantly concentrated in coastal port cities like Lagos and Port Harcourt. Which of the following statements best accounts for this spatial distribution of manufacturing industries?
- Cement manufacturing involves heavy, weight-losing raw materials processed near limestone quarries to minimize bulk transport costs, whereas flour milling depends on imported raw wheat landed at ocean ports.Answer
- BCement manufacturing is a market-oriented industry sited near rural demand centers, while flour milling is a raw-material-oriented industry located near major domestic wheat plantations in the Niger Delta.
- CCement factories require proximity to tin and columbite deposits found in southern coastal plains, while flour mills are sited near crude oil refining complexes located on the Jos Plateau.
- DCement production requires perishable organic inputs that mandate immediate processing in dry savanna zones, whereas flour milling relies on non-perishable crops grown primarily in high-rainfall coastal rainforest belts.
Answer
Cement manufacturing is located near interior limestone quarries because limestone is a heavy, weight-losing raw material, whereas wheat flour milling is sited at coastal port cities to minimize the transport costs of imported raw wheat.
The locational disparity between cement manufacturing and flour milling in Nigeria is governed by raw material weight characteristics and transport geography. Cement manufacture uses limestone, a bulky mineral that loses substantial weight during processing into clinker and finished cement. Under Weber's least-cost location principles, processing weight-losing inputs near their quarry sites (such as Ewekoro in Ogun State, Nkalagu in Ebonyi State, or Ashaka in Gombe State) minimizes long-distance freight costs for heavy waste matter. Conversely, Nigerian flour mills rely primarily on imported raw wheat brought in by sea transport. Siting flour mills directly at coastal port facilities like Lagos and Port Harcourt minimizes handling and transport expenses by processing grain right at the point of import entry.
Step-by-Step Solution
Key Concept
Industrial Location Factors and Weber's Least Cost Theory in Nigeria
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