Nigeria and South Africa have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to deepen bilateral cooperation in the mining sector.
The agreement marks a major step in the implementation of agreements reached under the Nigeria–South Africa Bi-National Commission.
The pact was signed in Abuja during a bilateral meeting between Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and South Africa’s Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, H.E. Gwede Mantashe.
Reflecting on the historical ties between the two countries, Alake noted the longstanding diplomatic and economic cooperation built on mutual respect and a shared vision for Africa’s development.
He stressed that collaboration in the mining sector offers vast opportunities for industrialisation, job creation, and sustainable growth across the continent.
Alake said, “The Memorandum of Understanding in geology, mining, and mineral processing signed today, will serve as a cornerstone for facilitating knowledge and technology transfer, investment promotion, capacity building, regional integration, and value addition.”
Key Highlights of the MoU Include: Capacity building in geological applications using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs); Utilization of Multi- and Hyper-spectral Remote Sensing Technologies for mineral exploration and geological mapping.
Others are sharing of geoscientific data on strategic minerals through the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA); Training on mineral processing and value addition; Capacity Building on Elemental Fingerprint Technology using LA-ICP-MS; and Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals in Nigeria.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Dr. Alake emphasized Nigeria’s renewed focus on revitalising its mining industry.
He said that South Africa could benefit from Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth, while Nigeria could tap into South Africa’s advanced mining expertise. This synergy, he said, would open doors to investment, skills development, and economic diversification.
In his remarks, H.E. Gwede Mantashe affirmed that South Africa, where mining plays a central role in the economy, stands to gain from Nigeria’s revitalized interest in the sector.
He added that his visit aimed to fine-tune agreements from the Bi-National Commission and to deepen collaboration on mutually beneficial projects with Nigeria’s Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
Both ministers committed to sustained engagement and collaboration to boost intra-African trade and deliver on the actionable steps outlined in the MoU.
They expressed confidence that this renewed partnership would significantly enhance the mining sectors of both countries.
The MoU signing was attended by the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Audu; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Mary Ogbe; Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Steel Development, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, alongside senior officials from both solid minerals and steel development ministries and members of the South African delegation led by H.E. Gwede Mantashe.
