US and Nigeria Collaborate to Boost Mining Development
The governments of Nigeria and the United States have collaborated to form a joint working group tasked with developing strategies to enhance the mining industry. This partnership was formalized during a meeting between the Nigerian delegation, led by Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, and the U.S. delegation, headed by Amos Hochstein, the Senior Advisor to the U.S. President on Energy and Infrastructure.
The meeting occurred at the ‘Investing in Africa Indaba’ conference in Cape Town, South Africa, and aimed to strengthen the relationship between Nigeria and the U.S. According to a statement released by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the objective of the meeting was to reinforce collaboration with the U.S. This initiative in South Africa followed the visit of the United States Deputy Chief of Mission, David Greene, to the minister’s office in Abuja on Feb. 1.
During the visit, the U.S. expressed its commitment to assisting Nigeria in training its security agencies to protect its mining sites. Additionally, the U.S. expressed interest in investing in the extraction and processing of Nigeria’s minerals. Hochstein, during his visit to South Africa, declared the U.S.’s interest in partnering with Nigeria to unlock investments in the mining sector. This would involve infrastructural development, technical assistance in upscaling mining operations, and other investment opportunities. He also mentioned that the U.S. is cooperating with the Federal Government to fund clean energy options.
Dr Dele Alake described the U.S. as a long-standing ally of Nigeria. He emphasized that the new collaboration for mining development would strengthen bilateral relations, benefiting both countries mutually. Alake stated, “We are putting in place reforms to ensure that we have an enabling environment in the sector, different from the experiences we had in the past.” He expressed confidence in the joint group’s ability to expedite the dissemination of information between the two countries, aimed at formulating the necessary strategies for mining development.
This collaboration between the U.S. and Nigeria is a significant step towards enhancing the mining sector in Nigeria. It not only has the potential to attract much-needed investments, but it also demonstrates a strong alliance between the two countries. With a joint effort in place, the future of mining development in Nigeria appears to be promising.
In conclusion, the establishment of the joint working group signifies a commitment from both the U.S. and Nigeria to work together towards sustainable mining development. This collaboration holds great promise for the mining sector in Nigeria and is a testament to the strong partnership between the two nations.
