Nigeria and US Collaboration in Mining Development
A committee has recently been established by Nigeria and the United States to further the development of the mining sector through partnership and collaboration. This significant step was initiated following a meeting between United States Deputy Chief of Mission David Greene and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, during the Investing in Africa Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa.
A working group has been formed to facilitate discussions and cooperation between the two countries. The Nigerian government’s delegation was led by Dr. Alake, while the US government was represented by Amos Hochstein, a senior advisor to the US president on energy and infrastructure.
During the meeting, Hochstein emphasized the longstanding relationship between the US and Nigeria and expressed the US government’s interest in collaborating with Nigeria to drive investments in the mining industry. He stressed the need for infrastructural development, technical assistance, and investments to support the mining ecosystem. Furthermore, he mentioned the ongoing collaboration between the US and the Nigerian government in exploring clean energy options to support the mining sector.
Minister Alake welcomed the US government’s interest in the mining sector, emphasizing the potential for collaboration to strengthen bilateral relations and generate mutual benefits. He highlighted the reforms being implemented in Nigeria to create an enabling environment for the mining sector and proposed the formation of a joint working group to facilitate collaboration and information exchange.
In addition to collaboration in mining development, the executive secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Fatima Shinkafi, discussed the allocation of resources to support the generation of geo-scientific data, aiming to provide valuable information for potential investors in critical minerals.
Following the meeting, both countries nominated members to serve on the joint working group, which will commence discussions on various aspects of mining development.
The US delegation includes prominent officials such as Helaina Matza, acting special coordinator for Partnership for Global Infrastructure Investments, and Ribhuti Jain, regional managing director of the Development Finance Corporation (DFC). On the Nigerian side, top officials from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, including the director-general of the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) and the executive secretary of SMDF, have been nominated to participate in the working group.
This collaborative effort between Nigeria and the United States marks a significant step towards fostering sustainable growth and development in the mining sector. It underscores the potential for mutually beneficial partnerships between countries, particularly in the vital area of natural resource development.
As discussions and deliberations commence, both nations are poised to leverage their strengths and expertise to drive meaningful advancements in the mining industry, paving the way for enhanced economic prosperity and cooperation between Nigeria and the United States.
