Nigeria, South Africa seek stronger ties in mining, trade

Nigeria has expressed its readiness to deepen strategic ties with South Africa, particularly in infrastructure development and capacity building in the mining sector.

This commitment was declared on Monday by Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, Nigeria’s minister of state for foreign affairs, during the opening of the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC) in Cape Town.

Addressing the ministerial session, Odumegwu-Ojukwu revealed that Nigeria has prepared a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with South Africa on the certification and capacity development of Nigerian mining geologists and other professionals in the sector.

“Nigeria is prepared to explore new vistas of cooperation with the Republic of South Africa in various fields. Apart from exploring opportunities in co-financing infrastructure projects that benefit our economies, we are seeking collaboration in enhancing the global competitiveness of our mining professionals,” she stated.

The session, co-chaired by Odumegwu-Ojukwu and Roland Lamola, South Africa’s minister of international relations and cooperation, serves as a precursor to the presidential session on Tuesday.

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President Bola Tinubu and Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa’s President, are expected to jointly lead discussions on critical areas of collaboration.

Discussions at the BNC cover trade and investment, political consultations, consular and migration matters, defence and security cooperation, banking, energy, manufacturing, and social sector collaborations.

This year’s session is particularly significant as it marks the 25th anniversary of the Bi-National Commission, established to strengthen ties between Africa’s two largest economies.

Odumegwu-Ojukwu underscored the strategic nature of Nigeria-South Africa relations, highlighting their shared destiny as leading economies on the continent.

“The BNC promises a bright future for our relations, and we must approach it with zest and faith. Together, we shall win for our respective countries and for Africa,” she said.

Lamola emphasised the need to expand trade relations, particularly under the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).

He noted that the large size of both economies necessitates stronger economic collaboration.

“We must increase investment and trade relations to higher levels. Identifying bankable projects, particularly in infrastructure development, should be a key priority”, Lamola stated.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s historic support for South Africa’s anti-apartheid struggle, Lamola praised the long-standing diplomatic ties between the two nations, which have grown over the past three decades.

He also called for joint efforts to promote peace and dialogue globally, expressing concern over regional conflicts and advocating for reforms in international institutions like the United Nations.

Lamola added that South Africa’s upcoming G20 presidency in 2025 would prioritize African developmental issues.

Nigeria’s delegation to the ministerial meeting included officials from various ministries, such as Defence, Industry, Trade and Investment, Agriculture, Communication, and Women Affairs, alongside the Comptroller-Generals of Immigration and Customs.