South Africa has expressed interest in investing in Nigeria’s lithium. President Cyril Ramaphosa said at the NigeriaSouth Africa Business Roundtable in Cape Town on Tuesday his nation wants to collaborate with Nigeria to drive the green energy transition and support the development of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

He also proposed leveraging Nigeria’s vast lithium reserves as a cornerstone for industrialisation efforts in the EV sector, according to a presidential statement yesterday.

Ramaphosa urged the private sector and development finance institutions to collaborate in building infrastructure and scaling up manufacturing capabilities in this sector.

He said: “There is also much opportunity for cooperation on pharmaceuticals. “Our two countries are strategically positioned to benefit from the rapid growth of clean energy manufacturing industries.

“South Africa has developed a Just Transition Framework and an Investment Plan that anticipates massive investments in renewable energy and the green economy over the next few years.

“As part of the broader global transition to a lowcarbon economy, we must leverage the abundant natural resources that exist in our countries to promote green industrialisation.”