Nigeria and South Africa have taken a significant step to deepen their collaboration in the mining sector by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during a bilateral meeting held at the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Abuja. The agreement, part of the Nigeria–South Africa Bi-National Commission framework inaugurated by Presidents Bola Tinubu and Cyril Ramaphosa, outlines key areas of cooperation including capacity building, technology transfer, investment promotion, and regional integration in geology, mining, and mineral processing.
The MoU highlights innovative initiatives such as the use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for geological applications, Multi- and Hyper-spectral Remote Sensing Technologies for mineral exploration, and sharing geoscientific data through the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency. Training programs on mineral processing, value addition, and advanced technologies like Elemental Fingerprint Technology using LA-ICP-MS are also included. Both countries aim to leverage Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth and South Africa’s advanced mining expertise to boost industrialization, create jobs, and promote sustainable growth across Africa.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, described the pact as a milestone in bilateral relations, emphasizing the mutual benefits of knowledge exchange and economic diversification. South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, H.E. Gwede Mantashe, affirmed the importance of the partnership, noting that South Africa stands to gain from Nigeria’s renewed mining focus. Both ministers committed to sustained engagement to enhance intra-African trade and deliver on the actionable steps outlined in the MoU, signaling a new era of cooperation between the two continental powerhouses in mining development.
