*Nigeria and France agree to collaborate on research, training and Franco-Nigerian students鈥� exchanges for knowledge and skills transfer, as well as promotion of sustainable mining activities by executing projects and programmes that reduce the environmental impact of mining on carbon emissions, water consumption, and climate change

Alexander Davis | 绿帽献妻

As part of the spinoffs of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Paris, Nigeria and France have agreed to develop joint projects to promote and diversify the critical minerals value chain in the solid minerals sector of both countries.

Critical minerals, such as聽copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements聽are essential to clean energy technologies.

Segun Tomori, Special Assistant to the Minister on Media, in a statement Sunday, December 1, 2024, said the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by both countries on the sidelines of President Bola Ahmed Ahmed Tinubu’s recent official visit to France, both countries agreed to collaborate on research, training and Franco-Nigerian students鈥� exchanges for knowledge and skills transfer.

The government disclosed that a key component of the MoU is the promotion of sustainable mining activities by executing projects and programmes that reduce the environmental impact of mining on carbon emissions, water consumption, and climate change.

This also includes the establishment of joint extractive and processing projects through co-financing by public and private entities to diversify and secure the supply of critical minerals and decarbonise energy projects critical to the value chain.

The statement also affirmed Dr. Alake signed for Nigeria while the Inter-Ministerial delegate for Critical Ores and Metals of the Republic of France, Mr. Benjamin Gallezot, signed on behalf of France.

Tomori further stated: “Both nations agreed to adopt international best practices in the execution of projects conceptualised to improve the conditions of the local populace affected by mining whilst placing premium on transparency.

“The MoU is expected to open new opportunities for the remediation of over 2,000 abandoned pits in the country through its plan to intervene in environmental rehabilitation and post-mining projects.”

The Minister as well explained through regular bilateral and multilateral training, seminars, and events, administrators of institutions in the critical metals sector are expected to improve their capacity to manage the sector’s value chain.

Describing the deal as a boost to the efforts of the Tinubu administration to reposition Nigeria’s solid minerals sector for international competitiveness, Alake stressed that the ministry would leverage the partnership to open up the mining sector of the Nigerian economy to French investors.