On that US-Nigeria Mining Deal

SOStainabilityWeekly

By Oke Epia, E-mail: sostainability01@gmail.com  | WhatsApp: +234 8034000706

Washing and Hushing

Three weeks ago, this page demanded the public release of details of the much-publicised framework agreement on mining between Nigeria and the US. We believe we were echoing valid concerns among global industry watchers and stakeholders across the board who had begun to raise several questions about the deal. On Monday, ThisDay Newspaper published what appears to be the text of the agreement on pages 14 and 15. Although the publication was not attributed and the names and signatures of the officials were omitted, the fact that there is a movement in the transparency needle that should ordinarily thread such important bilateral cooperation between the two countries is worthy of mention.

However, the publication has raised cogent questions that deserve to be answered by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the United States Government. In the spirit of dialogue and to encourage more transparency and mobilisation of public support for the just exploration, processing, and value-addition of Nigeria’s rare earth and transition minerals, there needs to be more awareness of the community safeguards, beneficiation, and social licence to operate covered in this framework. There needs to be more information and engagement on how Nigerian entities, especially the private sector, can benefit, to create multiplier effects on the economy.  There needs to be more assurance on how the Nigerian government intends to protect and promote national interest in the face of the fierce geopolitics over these transition minerals. There are many more questions, so let the engagement continue.