Nigeria and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote and diversify the critical minerals value chain within the solid minerals sector of both countries.
This was disclosed via a post on X by Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake, on Sunday.
He stated that he signed the agreement on Nigeria’s behalf, while Mr. Benjamin Gallezot, the Inter-Ministerial delegate for Critical Ores and Metals of the Republic of France, signed on behalf of France.
According to Alake, the agreement established a commitment to collaborate on research, training and student exchanges between both countries to facilitate knowledge, skills transfer.
“I am pleased to share that Nigeria and France have reached an agreement to develop joint projects aimed at promoting and diversifying the critical minerals value chain within the solid minerals sector of both our countries.
“We signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that establishes our commitment to collaborate on research, training, and student exchanges between Franco-Nigerian institutions to facilitate knowledge and skills transfer.
He further noted that a significant aspect of the MoU is dedication to promoting sustainable mining activities.
“We will implement projects and programs designed to minimize the environmental impact of mining, addressing issues related to carbon emissions, water consumption, and climate change.
“Additionally, the agreement includes plans for establishing joint extraction and processing projects, supported by co-financing from both public and private sectors.
“This initiative aims to diversify and secure the supply of critical minerals while decarbonizing energy projects that are vital to the value chain
“Together, we have committed to adopting international best practices in the execution of these projects, ensuring that we improve the conditions for local communities affected by mining, with a strong emphasis on transparency.” He wrote.