NIGERIAN SMELTER BACK UP

NIGERIA’S government has raised new conditions for releasing funds needed to restart the troubled Alscon aluminium smelter, company officials said on Thursday. Alscon officials said the government has tied the release of $150 million for running the plant to an assurance from foreign minority shareholders that they will complete the 193000 ton per year project without further state assistance. The smelter at southeastern Ikot Abasi had hoped to restart in February after being forced to shut last June because of lack of funds. It never reached even a quarter of its capacity.