Ramu NiCo is regarded as the only mine in the country that distributes its royalty to all 19 local level government (LLGs) in Madang Province.
Ramu NiCo, being the only Nickel and Cobalt Mine in the Southern Hemisphere, was given a chance to share its community development and engagement work on Monday 28 of July during the first day of the 2025 Community Affairs National Content Expo (CANCONEX) in Port Moresby.
The mine has been doing this since the mine did its first royalty payouts in 2018, following full-scale production commencement in 2012.
Ramu NiCo’s community Affairs General Manager Mr. Eric Kuman said the royalty payouts is given yearly to the 19 LLGs in Madang Province during same period that the company pays to the Landowners of the Project. Madang Provincial Government also has a share on the portion of the royalty payouts into the Madang Provincial Government Account.
The mine is unique being the only nickel and cobalt mine in the country; it has implemented a system that is unique to other mines in the country. The royalty payouts for other LLGs in Madang are paid straight to their individual LLG accounts, and the funds are used also to assist with their projects and programs.
Kuman said the company also assists in other projects through donations and programs that are set by the Community Affairs Department and Corporate Office to maintain the company’s corporate and social responsibilities along the project corridor.
Kuman stated that the mine has been keen on programs that would leave a long lasting impact on the communities through royalty as well as projects that would sustain the mine after it ends.
We have developed programs such as the Cocoa Nursery Program, which the PNG Cocoa Board estimates is the largest seed nursery in the country.
We also introduced the Juncao Technology into our mine’s rehabilitation program that is now starting to develop and grow well in the old mine pits.
Apart from royalty payouts into Madang Province and agriculture program, we also provide countless programs from education subsidies for tertiary education, Industrial Training, our Graduate Development Program and currently signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the University of Technology in Lae and the University of Papua New Guinea for research programs.
Kuman said Ramu NiCo’s aim is to promote better living and sustainability to the host province as well as providing training and development for the human resources of Papua New Guinea as far as the company is concerned.
Eric Kuman making his presentation during the 2025 CANCONEX