The Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) has voiced apprehensions regarding the newly established mineral investment framework between Nigeria and the United States, which aims to attract American investment to Nigeria’s extensive mineral resources, estimated at $700 billion.
Signed on September 23, the agreement features Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and US Deputy Secretary of State, Christopher Landau. It is intended to enhance cooperation in mineral exploration, processing, and infrastructure development, while promoting investment in Nigeria’s mineral value chain.
However, HOMEF contends that this agreement could exacerbate environmental degradation and expose host communities to harmful mining practices. The organization highlights that the extraction of minerals like lithium, cobalt, nickel, and copper may have severe ecological and social repercussions if not properly regulated.
HOMEF Executive Director Nnimmo Bassey cautioned against trading one set of environmental challenges for another, referencing Nigeria’s troubling history with oil extraction. He emphasized the need for stringent safeguards to avoid replicating the damaging patterns seen in the Niger Delta, where communities have long suffered from pollution and environmental damage due to oil extraction.
Recent circumstances have intensified these concerns, particularly following the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners while in custody of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps in Minna, Niger State. The federal government has initiated an independent investigation into these deaths, while the Niger State Government has instituted its own judicial inquiry.
Bassey stressed the vulnerability of those involved in informal mining sectors and raised alarms that a rush to attract foreign investments may prioritize mineral extraction over the welfare of local communities, their livelihoods, and environmental health.
HOMEF also warned that the drive for mining approvals could proceed rapidly, without adequate environmental and social assessments, leading to weakened Community Development Agreements (CDAs). These agreements are crucial for ensuring that local communities benefit socially and economically from mineral extraction, as mandated by Nigeria’s Minerals and Mining Act of 2007.
In light of these issues, HOMEF has demanded that the full text of the Nigeria-US agreement be made publicly available. The organization believes transparency is essential for community and civil society engagement in scrutinizing the partnership’s implications for environmental protection, community rights, and economic benefits.
With Nigeria positioning itself to diversify away from oil dependency, recent discoveries of critical minerals raise both hope and concern for sustainable development. HOMEF urges that the economic advantages of these resources must not come at the cost of community wellbeing and environmental integrity.
