Nigeria and United Kingdom Consider Formation of Working Group to Enhance Mining Partnership

The Federal Government of Nigeria and the United Kingdom are currently engaged in discussions with the aim of establishing a collaborative technical working group focused on the development of vital mineral resources within Nigeria. This decision was made subsequent to a meeting which took place at the Mines and Money Conference in London, between UK Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden, and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake.

During the meeting, Dowden expressed the United Kingdom’s keen interest in Nigeria’s lithium reserves. As a result of their deliberations, a delegation from the British High Commission, led by Deputy High Commissioner Johnny Baxter, paid a visit to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to reaffirm the United Kingdom’s commitment to finalizing the details of the collaboration.

Minister Dele Alake emphasized the endeavours of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in enhancing the ease of doing business within the mining sector. These efforts include implementing a new security architecture for natural resources and establishing an efficient governance structure through the creation of the Nigerian Mining Corporation, which is overseen by the private sector.

In response, Baxter commended Nigeria for its initiatives to diversify the economy and enhance the visibility of the mining sector, which has garnered the attention of the international community. Both nations have concurred to establish a joint technical working group in order to pave the way for a successful partnership and to attract investment in the mining sector.

The visiting delegation from the United Kingdom included Political Counsellor Tom Burge, Senior Political Adviser Wale Adebajo, and Trade Market Access Lead from the UK Department for Business and Trade, Simeon Umukoro.

The collaboration between Nigeria and the United Kingdom signifies a major stride towards capitalizing on the potential of the mining sector to drive economic development. With both nations committed to fostering a robust partnership, this initiative is poised to create valuable opportunities for investment and growth.

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