South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed intentions to partner with Nigeria in harnessing critical minerals, particularly lithium, to drive the green energy transition and advance the electric vehicle (EV) industry.
Speaking at the Nigeria-South Africa Business Roundtable in Cape Town, Ramaphosa highlighted the untapped potential of Nigeria’s lithium reserves as a crucial resource for developing EV batteries and fostering industrial growth.
Ramaphosa encouraged collaboration between the private sector and development finance institutions to build infrastructure and expand manufacturing in the EV sector.
“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,” he said.
He noted South Africa’s progress in clean energy through its Just Transition Framework and Investment Plan, which anticipates significant investments in renewable energy and the green economy in the coming years.
Ramaphosa called for a joint effort to process critical minerals at their source, promoting green industrialisation in both nations.
“We should leverage each other’s capabilities in minerals processing. We must work together to ensure critical minerals are beneficiated at source. We call on businesses to support and involve themselves in these initiatives,” he said.
President Ramaphosa expressed South Africa’s strong backing for Nigeria’s bid to join the G20, describing the country as a “valued sister nation.”
Speaking at the launch of South Africa’s G20 presidency, he emphasised the importance of including more African nations in the group to amplify the continent’s voice globally.
