By Ayo Ayodele
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has called for stronger bilateral cooperation between Nigeria and Canada to accelerate reforms in the country’s mining sector.
Alake made the appeal on Thursday while receiving the Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Pasquale Salvaggio, at his office in Abuja.
The minister said Nigeria is ready to leverage Canada’s advanced mining technology and technical expertise to consolidate ongoing reforms aimed at boosting growth, attracting foreign direct investment, and entrenching global best practices in the industry.
He recalled Canada’s support for Nigeria during the pro-democracy struggle that followed the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, noting that the country’s principled stance helped galvanise international backing for Nigeria’s return to civil rule in 1999.
“Canada stood firmly on the side of the Nigerian people during our pro-democracy struggle. Today, we are committed to strengthening that relationship, particularly in mining and mineral development, where Canada’s global reputation for excellence is well established,” Alake said.
The minister reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to de-risking the mining environment, formalising and regulating artisanal mining activities, enhancing capacity building for mining professionals, and promoting technology transfer to support rapid sectoral development.
He highlighted key investment incentives introduced by the Federal Government, including tax waivers on imported mining equipment and full repatriation of profits after meeting statutory obligations such as taxes and royalties.
In his remarks, Salvaggio thanked Nigeria for acknowledging Canada’s historic role in its democratic journey and commended the minister for recognising Canada’s leadership in the global mining industry.
He noted that Nigeria is currently Canada’s second-largest trading partner in Africa and expressed optimism about expanding bilateral trade, particularly in mining. The envoy also lauded the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company (NSMC), describing it as a strategic initiative capable of boosting investor confidence and catalysing growth in the sector.
Salvaggio further urged Nigeria to revisit the stalled Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPA), saying its ratification would enhance investor confidence and guarantee investment security.
He disclosed that Canada is willing to expand capacity-building initiatives, including replicating the 2025 training programme for Nigerian mining professionals at the University of Calgary in Alberta, as well as supporting additional technical exchange programmes.
Responding, Alake said although the FIPA predates the current administration, the Federal Government is ready to review and expedite its ratification process. He reiterated the commitment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to attracting increased foreign direct investment as a pathway to economic growth and job creation.
Both countries agreed to establish a joint working group to identify priority areas of cooperation in the mining sector and develop actionable timelines to ensure measurable outcomes from the renewed bilateral engagement.