Nigeria, Japan move to deepen mining partnership
Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake in a warm handshake with President, Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security, Mr.Michio Daito after the talks in Yokohama
Nigeria and Japan have taken fresh steps toward stronger collaboration in the mining sector, as Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) pledged to develop frameworks that would encourage Japanese investment in Nigeria.
A statement signed by Alake’s Special Adviser, Kehinde Bamigbetan, on Sunday said the commitment followed deliberations last Thursday in Yokohama during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development, where President Bola Tinubu also concluded talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba.
Welcoming the delegation, JOGMEC President, Michio Daito, recognised Nigeria’s mineral wealth but requested broader economic data to guide Japanese firms in assessing risks. He cited concerns around power supply, tax incentives, labour, duty waivers, free trade zones, and entry and exit conditions. Daito added that JOGMEC’s role in guiding overseas investment meant more details were needed on Nigeria’s mining infrastructure.
Responding, Alake highlighted Tinubu’s economic reforms—such as fuel subsidy removal and exchange rate unification—which he said had eased investment and positioned solid minerals as a key growth sector. He stressed Nigeria’s importance to Japan’s industrial supply chain, urging JOGMEC to invest in extraction and processing locally before exports, in line with the government’s value-addition policy.
The minister also underscored Nigeria’s skilled workforce and ongoing infrastructure projects in rail, road, and water transport to support industry. He assured Japanese investors of new legal reforms enabling industries to generate dedicated electricity, alongside incentives such as duty waivers on mining machinery and tax holidays.
Alake’s talks with JOGMEC built on earlier meetings with major Japanese trading houses Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsui & Company all of whom signalled interest pending JOGMEC’s support. To further boost investor confidence, he introduced the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company (NSMC), represented by CEO Martins Imonitie, which will take equity stakes in projects to ensure credible partnerships.
Both sides agreed on the potential for a long-term strategic partnership, committing to technical information exchange and exploring direct engagement between JOGMEC and the NSMC.
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