Abuja, April 15, 2025 — Nigeria and the European Union (EU) have agreed to deepen trade and investment collaboration in the country’s solid minerals sector, following a high-level meeting in Abuja between EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, and Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake.
Ambassador Mignot, who led a delegation of EU representatives, expressed the Union’s strong interest in forging sustainable and equitable partnerships within Nigeria’s growing mining industry. He commended the ongoing sector reforms, particularly those that enhance value addition and security at mining sites.
“The purpose of our visit is to better understand Nigeria’s mining environment and identify areas where we can form mutually beneficial partnerships,” Mignot said. He also pledged to engage EU member states and encourage European companies to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s solid minerals landscape.
In his response, Minister Alake expressed appreciation for the EU’s interest and support, describing the partnership as a reliable platform to drive real investment and tangible development projects. He reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to transparency, ease of doing business, and fostering investor confidence through reforms.
Nigeria Targets Clean Energy Minerals
Alake emphasized Nigeria’s strategic position as a key global supplier of critical minerals needed for the clean energy transition. “We have lithium, cobalt, and copper in viable quantities,” he said. “This year, we’re expanding exploration to uncover more reserves.”
According to the minister, preliminary data suggests Nigeria holds mineral deposits valued at over $700 billion. To attract more investors, the government has introduced several incentives, including tax exemptions on mining equipment, full profit repatriation, and enhanced security through a dedicated mining task force.
“We have also streamlined the licensing process for ease of operations, but value addition is non-negotiable,” Alake stressed. “Local processing is essential for job creation, technology transfer, and maximizing economic benefits.”
Crackdown on Mineral Smuggling
The minister revealed ongoing efforts to combat illegal mining and smuggling, particularly of lithium. He noted that the government has implemented traceability mechanisms, including pre-shipment inspections and satellite tracking of minerals from extraction sites to export points.
“With international cooperation, we can drastically reduce the theft and smuggling of our mineral wealth,” he added.
Both parties agreed that deeper EU-Nigeria cooperation in the mining sector can unlock immense opportunities for sustainable economic development, create jobs, and support the global transition to green energy.
