April 17, (THEWILL) – Nigeria and South Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the mining sector.
A statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, informed that the MOU was signed during a bilateral meeting between the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake and South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The agreement, which aims to deepen ties and enhance economic collaboration through identified areas of partnership in the mining industry, follows the recent inauguration of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission by President Bola Tinubu and President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Key highlights of the MoU Include: “Capacity building in geological applications using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), Utilisation of Multi- and Hyper-spectral Remote Sensing Technologies for mineral exploration and geological mapping, Sharing of geoscientific data on strategic minerals through the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Training on mineral processing and value addition, Capacity Building on Elemental Fingerprint Technology using LA-ICP-MS and Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals In Nigeria.”
Reflecting on the historical ties between the two countries, Alake noted the longstanding diplomatic and economic cooperation built on mutual respect and a shared vision for Africa’s development.
“The Memorandum of Understanding in geology, mining, and mineral processing signed today will serve as a cornerstone for facilitating knowledge and technology transfer, investment promotion, capacity building, regional integration, and value addition”, he said.
The minister emphasised Nigeria’s renewed focus on developing its mining industry, stating that South Africa could benefit from Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth, while Nigeria could tap into South Africa’s advanced mining expertise. This synergy, he said, would open doors to investment, skills development, and economic diversification.
On his part, Mr Mantashe emphasised that South Africa stands to gain from Nigeria’s revitalised interest in the mining sector. He said his visit aimed to fine-tune agreements from the Bi-National Commission and to deepen collaboration on mutually beneficial projects with Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
Both ministers committed to sustained engagement and collaboration to boost intra-African trade and deliver on the actionable steps outlined in the MoU. They expressed confidence that this renewed partnership would significantly enhance the mining sectors of both countries.
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