Nigeria and the United States signed an agreement on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 24 to deepen American investment in Nigeria’s $700 billion mining sector, the West African country’s minerals minister, Dele Alake, announced.
The pact is the latest move by the Trump administration to build an independent supply chain for critical minerals and rare earth metals vital for the high-tech industry, clean energy systems, and defense applications.
For Nigeria, partnering with the United States is expected to help the country sell its minerals globally as it seeks to diversify the economy away from fossil fuels.
“Nigeria cannot remain a source of raw materials while others capture most of the value,” Alake said. “We want more local processing, quality jobs, stronger skills and greater opportunities for Nigerian businesses.”
The agreement, signed with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, covers geological data and exploration, mineral development and processing, infrastructure, and technical capacity.
The countries expect to turn the framework into projects, investments, and results in the coming months.
“We will identify viable projects and build partnerships...