South Africa eyes Nigeria’s lithium, approves request to G20 membership bid

President Ramaphosa has expressed South Africa’s interest to partner with Nigeria in tapping into critical minerals, especially lithium, to facilitate the green energy transition and aid the growth of electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

Newspot reports that President Bola Tinubu arrived in France on Monday for a state visit in Cape Town, South Africa, where he will co-chair the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission.

Ramaphosa disclosed this during the Nigeria -South Africa Business Roundtable, on Tuesday, according to President Tinubu’s spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.

He suggested utilizing Nigeria’s extensive lithium reserves as a fundamental element for industrialization in the EV industry.

“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.

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President Ramaphosa also announced that South Africa will “keenly” support Nigeria’s bid to join the G20, referring to Nigeria as “a valued sister country.”

He made this commitment during the official launch of South Africa’s G20 presidency in Cape Town, just moments before welcoming President Tinubu at Tuynhuys to co-chair the 11th Bi-National Commission between Nigeria and South Africa.

Ramaphosa also reiterated this position during his private discussion with President Tinubu and in the expanded meeting with officials from both nations at the BNC.

This follows a request from Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, for Nigeria to join the G20, BRICS, and the BRICS New Development Bank (NDB).

Currently, South Africa and the African Union are the only representatives from the continent in the G20.

He emphasized that other significant African nations should also be included in the G20 to amplify Africa’s voice, which has been overlooked for a long time.

Ramaphosa pointed out that South Africa had previously been the sole representative for Africa in the G20 until the African Union was admitted last year, a move that his country actively advocated for.

“We have a voice, we have a presence, and we will be the biggest growth story in years to come.

“Our population is going to grow by leaps and bounds, and therefore, as a continent, we are going to be a big noise, and we want that big noise to be recognised in the form of countries that will be part of the G20 right now,” he said at the official launch of the G20 presidency.