The Nigerian government, led by President Bola Tinubu, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with France to collaborate on joint projects in the solid minerals sector.
In a significant diplomatic and economic move, Nigeria and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate on critical minerals development, marking a potentially transformative partnership in the solid minerals sector.
The agreement, signed during President Bola Tinubu’s official visit to France, focuses on critical minerals essential for clean energy technologies, including copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements. The deal comes in the wake of recent tragic mining accidents that claimed at least 65 lives in Nigeria.
Key Highlights of the MOU:
✔ Joint research and training initiatives
✔ Student exchange programs
✔ Sustainable mining practices
✔ Reducing environmental impact
✔ Establishing collaborative extraction and processing projects
Dr. Dele Alake, Nigeria’s Minister for Solid Minerals Development, signed the agreement alongside Mr. Benjamin Gallezot, France’s Inter-Ministerial delegate for Critical Ores and Metals.
The partnership aims to address multiple challenges, including:
✔ Remediation of over 2,000 abandoned mining pits
✔ Implementing international best practices
✔ Improving local community conditions
- Enhancing sector transparency
- Attracting international investments
Significantly, the agreement emphasizes sustainable mining approaches, focusing on reducing carbon emissions, water consumption, and mitigating climate change impacts.
For Nigeria, this represents a strategic opportunity to reposition its solid minerals sector for international competitiveness, potentially attracting French investors and expertise to a sector with massive untapped potential.
