Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, is advocating for stronger trade relations with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), focusing on expanding investment in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
In a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Dr. Alake highlighted the importance of solidifying the over 50-year partnership between the two countries during a meeting with UAE Ambassador Salem Shaeed Al Shamsi in Abuja. Alake emphasized the potential for deeper collaboration in the mining sector as a pathway to bolster economic growth.
Ambassador Al Shamsi expressed the UAE’s dedication to strengthening ties with Nigeria, noting recent developments such as the lifting of visa restrictions and a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between UAE firms and Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF).
“The lifting of visa restrictions and the launch of a new visa application website underscore our commitment to advancing Nigeria-UAE relations,” Al Shamsi stated. He also announced an upcoming Nigeria-UAE economic forum to be held in Nigeria, featuring 30-35 key Middle Eastern companies. The forum aims to stimulate Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
