Nigeria, France sign MOU to remediate 2000 mining pits

R-L: First Lady of France, Brigitte Macron; First Lady, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu; President Bola Tinubu; Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake; President of France, Emmanuel Macron, at the signing of an MOU for development of Solid Minerals during President Tinubu's official visit to France. 1st December, 2024.

Nigeria and France have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop joint projects to promote critical minerals in the solid minerals sector of both countries.

The partnership will open opportunity for the remediation of over 2,000 abandoned pits in the country through environmental rehabilitation and post-mining projects intervention plans, a statement signed by Segun Tomori, special assistant on media to the minister, seen by BusinessDay on Sunday, said.

The statement said the MOU would cover critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt, and rare earth elements that are essential to clean energy technologies.

Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, signed for Nigeria while Benjamin Gallezot, inter-ministerial delegate for critical ores and metals of the Republic of France, signed on behalf of France.

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

A key component of the MOU is the promotion of sustainable mining activities by executing projects and programmes that reduce the environmental impact of mining on carbon emissions, water consumption, and climate change, the statement noted.

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 nations agreed to adopt international best practices in the execution of projects conceptualised to improve the conditions of the local populace affected by mining while placing premium on transparency.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.