The French government has reaffirmed its dedication to partnering with Nigeria in developing its solid minerals sector, emphasizing the longstanding alliance between both nations.
During a courtesy visit to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, over the weekend, the French Ambassador to Nigeria, Marc Fonbaustier, underscored France’s full commitment to supporting Nigeria’s mining roadmap.
He highlighted his country’s strong interest in investing in the sector and advancing strategic collaborations.
In response, Dr. Alake acknowledged France’s prominent role among key stakeholders showing interest in Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.
He commended France’s “enthusiasm, commitment, and readiness to implement tangible projects,” expressing confidence that the well-established bilateral ties between Nigeria and France would be further strengthened through targeted initiatives with defined timelines.
The Minister reiterated that President Bola Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda prioritizes the solid minerals sector.
He stressed the importance of sustained engagement with French stakeholders to identify committed investors while refining areas of collaboration to solidify partnerships under the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
The MoU, signed last year following President Tinubu’s state visit to France, aims to foster joint projects that enhance and diversify the critical minerals value chain.
Key areas of focus include technical assistance, capacity building, and the remediation of abandoned mining sites.
Additionally, the Deputy Head of the Regional Economic Department at the French Embassy, Carole Libreton, reaffirmed France’s readiness to finance projects within Nigeria’s mining sector.
She emphasized ongoing efforts to mobilize French companies toward developing a robust mining value chain in collaboration with the Nigerian government.
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