The Federal Government and France have agreed to develop joint projects to promote and diversify the value chain of the critical minerals 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.

According to a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, on Sunday, the agreement will open new opportunities for the remediation of over 2,000 abandoned pits in the country.

Recently, at least 65 individuals tragically lost their lives in separate mining pit collapse incidents across the country.

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

The statement read, “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.

“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.”

The statement added that the Minister for Solid Minerals development, Dr Dele Alake signed for Nigeria while the Inter-Ministerial delegate for Critical Ores and Metals of the Republic of France, Mr Benjamin Gallezot, signed on behalf of France.

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 whilst placing a premium on transparency.

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

Describing the deal as a boost to the efforts of the Tinubu administration to reposition Nigeria’s solid minerals sector for international competitiveness, Alake stressed that the ministry would leverage the partnership to open up the mining sector to French investors.