France not taking over Nigeria’s mining sector, Presidency clarifies

The Presidency has explained that France has no plans to take over Nigeria’s mining sector, solid minerals or security rights, contrary to speculations circulating on social media.

Nigeria and France signed a Memorandum of Understanding, during President Bola Tinubu’s recent visit to France, to develop joint projects to promote and diversify both countries’ critical minerals value chains in the solid minerals sector.

However, the MOU led to speculations online that the European country was planning to take over Nigeria’s ’s mining, and solid minerals sector.

In a statement issued on X on Thursday, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare clarified that Nigeria did not sign away its mining rights.

According to the statement titled “The Facts: Nigeria-France MOU on Critical Minerals,” Dare noted that both countries agreed to collaborate on research, training, and Franco-Nigerian student exchanges for knowledge and skills transfer.

He stated that Nigeria would comply with international global standards upon which MoUs are based.

The statement reads: “The French are not Taking Over. Nowhere in the document was it agreed or suggested that Nigeria has signed away Mining Rights to the French, nor does it connote anything against Nigeria’s Economic and Security interest as being maliciously circulated.

“Nigeria and France have agreed to develop joint projects to promote and diversify the critical minerals value chain In the solid minerals sector of both countries. Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential to clean energy technologies.

READ ALSO: Tinubu advocates African coalition against illegal mining, calls for Nigeria’s G20 membership

“In the Memorandum of Understanding signed by both countries on the sidelines of the official visit to France by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently, both countries agreed to collaborate on research, training and Franco-Nigerian students exchanges for knowledge and skills transfer.

“A key component of the Memorandum of Understanding is the promotion of sustainable mining activities by executing projects and programmes which reduce the environmental impact of mining on carbon emissions, water consumption and climate change.

“It also includes the establishment of joint extractive and processing projects through co-financing by public and private entities to diversify and secure the supply of critical minerals and decarbonise energy projects critical to the value chain.

“Both agreed to adopt international best practices in the execution of programmes and projects to improve the conditions of the local populace affected by mining and ensure transparency.

“The MOU is expected to open new opportunities for the remediation of over 2,000 abandoned pits in the country through its plan to intervene in environmental rehabilitation and post-mining projects.

“Through regular bilateral and multilateral training, seminars and events, administrators of institutions in the critical Metals sector are expected to improve their capacity to manage the sector’s value chain.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now