France not taking over Nigeria – Presidency speaks after Tinubu’s visit

Contrary to speculations, the Presidency has clarified that France is not taking over Nigeria’s mining and solid minerals sector.

During President Bola Tinubu’s recent state visit to France, Nigeria and France signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to develop joint projects to promote and diversify both countries’ critical mineral value chains in the solid minerals sector, leading to the speculations.

But in a statement issued on X on Thursday, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, said Nigeria would comply with international global standards upon which MoUs are based.

According to Dare, Nigeria did not sign away its mining rights.

According to Dare, “The French are not taking over. Nowhere in the document was it agreed or suggested that Nigeria has signed away mining rights to the French, nor does it connote anything against Nigeria’s economic and security interests as being maliciously circulated. No.

“Nigeria and France have agreed to develop joint projects to promote and diversify the critical mineral value chain in the solid minerals sector of both countries.

“Critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements are essential to clean energy technologies.”