- President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced South Africa’s intent to collaborate with Nigeria to extract critical minerals, particularly lithium, to facilitate the transition to green energy.
- Ramaphosa pointed out that South Africa has established a Just Transition Framework and an Investment Plan aimed at attracting significant investments in renewable energy and the green economy over the coming years.
President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced South Africa’s intent to collaborate with Nigeria to extract critical minerals, particularly lithium, to facilitate the transition to green energy and support the production of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.
This announcement was made on December 4 during the Nigeria-South Africa Business Roundtable in Cape Town.
Ramaphosa emphasised the potential of Nigeria’s extensive lithium reserves as a foundational element for industrial development within the EV sector. He called for cooperation between the private sector and development finance institutions to enhance infrastructure and manufacturing capabilities in this area.
He noted, “There is also much opportunity for cooperation on pharmaceuticals. Our two countries are strategically positioned to benefit from the rapid growth of clean energy manufacturing industries.”
Ramaphosa pointed out that South Africa has established a Just Transition Framework and an Investment Plan aimed at attracting significant investments in renewable energy and the green economy over the coming years.
In his address, he stressed the importance of utilising the abundant natural resources available in both nations to promote green industrialisation as part of a global shift towards a low-carbon economy.
“We should leverage each other’s capabilities in minerals processing. We must work together to ensure critical minerals are beneficiated at source,” he stated, urging businesses to engage actively in these initiatives.
Additionally, President Ramaphosa affirmed South Africa’s strong support for Nigeria’s bid to join the G20, referring to Nigeria as “a valued sister country.” This commitment was reiterated during his discussions with Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the official launch of South Africa’s G20 presidency.