Nigeria and South Africa in A Powerful Move Join Forces to Tackle Mining Challenges

Nigeria and South Africa Join Forces to Tackle Mining Challenges

Nigeria and South Africa are now turning words into action as they push forward a solid partnership in the mining and solid minerals sector.

During a high-powered session in Abuja on Wednesday, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, met with South Africa’s Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources, Gwede Mantashe. Both men agreed it’s time for Africa’s two largest economies to stop working in silos and instead work together to unlock the continent’s full mining potential.

Alake didn’t mince words.

He made it clear that cooperation is the key to industrialisation, job creation, and long-term economic growth—not just for Nigeria and South Africa, but for the continent as a whole.

“Nigeria and South Africa share a longstanding history of diplomatic and economic collaboration, rooted in mutual respect and a shared vision for Africa’s prosperity,” he said.

That history is now being rewritten into something more practical and future-focused.

According to Alake, Nigeria is already taking bold steps under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. These reforms are designed to cut red tape, attract real investment, and push Nigeria’s raw minerals through the full value chain—no more exporting raw and buying back finished products at five times the price.

But Alake was honest, too. He admitted Africa’s mining sector is still held back by poor infrastructure and a lack of modern mining technology. He said it plainly: Africa is sitting on a mountain of wealth, yet we remain broke because we’re not the ones refining or processing our own minerals.

That’s where South Africa comes in.

With decades of experience and advanced mining know-how, South Africa has a lot to offer. Meanwhile, Nigeria brings to the table a booming population, untapped reserves of critical minerals like lithium, gold, and iron ore, and a hunger for development.

In short, it’s a win-win—if the handshake turns into real, practical action.

To cement this cooperation, both countries are now working on a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that will focus on three key areas: knowledge transfer, investment promotion, and capacity building.

So this won’t just be about high-level visits or photo ops. The goal is to get boots on the ground, train local workers, improve safety, and build up mining communities—especially in rural areas where people have seen little to no benefit from natural resources.

South Africa’s Minister Gwede Mantashe didn’t hold back either. He called for unity among African countries and encouraged his countrymen to work directly with Nigerian counterparts for the good of the continent.

He said, “Our minerals must serve African people first. It’s not enough to dig and ship—we must produce, refine, and benefit here.”

Nigeria’s Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Audu, echoed the same energy. He described the session as a breakthrough moment and promised action—not empty promises.

“We are ready to implement the key resolutions reached and move toward tangible outcomes,” Audu said.

This isn’t just talk. If this partnership delivers on its promises, it could mark a turning point for how African nations harness their natural wealth.

By bringing together Nigeria’s rich mineral base and South Africa’s deep mining knowledge, both countries have a chance to break away from foreign dependency and build real homegrown industries.

They could create thousands of jobs, retain more of the value from mining, and reduce capital flight.

Of course, that won’t happen overnight.

Past attempts at such collaborations have often ended in bureaucratic delays, political squabbles, or simple lack of will. The challenge now is to turn policy into projects, and projects into progress.

But this time, the tone is different.

There’s urgency.

There’s a clear roadmap.

And perhaps most importantly, there’s a growing sense among African leaders that the time to act is now—or risk falling further behind in a global economy that doesn’t wait.

If Nigeria and South Africa stick to this path, they might just set an example for the rest of the continent.

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Because when Africa collaborates, Africa rises.