FG, US plan mining cooperation deal on sidelines of UNGA

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Nigeria and the United States are set to deepen cooperation in the mining sector, with both countries targeting the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on mining cooperation.

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This was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Lara Owoeye-Wise.

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According to the statement, the proposed agreement followed a meeting between the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and the United States Embassy’s Chargé d’Affaires, Keith Heffern, in Abuja.

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The statement said the meeting was a follow-up to a high-level engagement earlier this year in Washington, D.C., where Alake led a delegation of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company to the White House for discussions with David Copley, Special Assistant to the US President and Senior Director for Global Supply Chain at the National Security Council.

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It said the engagement focused on expanding Nigeria-US cooperation across the critical minerals value chain, including geological exploration, mining, processing, value addition and refining, while strengthening secure and resilient mineral supply chains critical to the global energy transition.

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According to the statement, Alake briefed the US delegation on ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector, including efforts to digitise the country’s geological data to provide investors with accessible and reliable information on mineral occurrences.

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The minister said the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency had made significant progress in mapping and cataloguing the country’s mineral resources, describing the digital platform as a major tool for de-risking investment decisions.

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Alake also highlighted the geographical spread of Nigeria’s mineral resources, particularly the concentration of several deposits across the country.

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“There’s a preponderance of these minerals across the country,” he said, citing gold deposits in Zamfara and lithium deposits in Nasarawa, Kebbi and Taraba, while stressing the opportunities for investors around the country.

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The statement said the discussions also addressed the constitutional framework governing mining regulation and the respective roles of the Federal Government and state governments.

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Alake explained that although mineral resources were under the exclusive legislative jurisdiction of the Federal Government, states interested in participating in the exploitation of their mineral resources could establish Special Purpose Vehicles and apply to the ministry for the appropriate licences.

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He disclosed that several states had already obtained approved licences under the arrangement, which he said had helped reduce earlier tensions arising from a multiplicity of regulatory authorities and provided greater clarity for investors.

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The minister cited Nasarawa State as an example of the benefits of structured participation in the sector, pointing to the emergence of processing plants and associated employment opportunities.

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The statement further said the meeting reviewed growing interest from major international mining companies in Nigeria.

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Alake disclosed that the Federal Government was engaging global mining players, including Fortescue, Glencore and BHP, on opportunities in the Nigerian market.

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He also highlighted the role of the African Minerals Strategy Group, which he currently chairs, in promoting investment in Africa’s mineral sector.

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According to the statement, the group is expected to hold a side event in New York during the UNGA to connect US investors with opportunities across Africa’s mining value chain.

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The minister said the growing international interest reflected the impact of the Federal Government’s reforms and Nigeria’s renewed focus on transforming its mineral resources into a driver of industrial growth and economic diversification.

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The statement said the emerging Nigeria-US mining cooperation aligned with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly its priorities of economic diversification, industrialisation, job creation and attraction of strategic foreign investment.

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It added that the cooperation also advanced the seven-point agenda of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, including geological data development, investment promotion, local value addition, mining sector security and the transformation of Nigeria’s mineral resources into sustainable economic opportunities.

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The statement said both sides described the meeting as productive and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation.

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It added that the proposed MOU was expected to provide a framework for stronger collaboration and investment in Nigeria’s mining and critical minerals sector.

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