Shehu Sani demands parliamentary scrutiny of Nigeria-US $700B mineral deal
Former Senator Shehu Sani has called today for immediate parliamentary scrutiny of the $700 billion mineral investment framework signed between Nigeria and the United States during the 81st UN General Assembly in New York. The agreement, signed by Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake and US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, covers geological exploration, mineral development, processing, infrastructure, and technical capacity for resources including lithium, gold, rare earth elements, and uranium.
Sani argues the deal details should have been made public earlier to allow legislative review and ensure national interests and host community protections are adequate. He warns the agreement should not merely replace Chinese mining operations or serve to appease any party, emphasizing that mineral-hosting communities often face security challenges from bandits that must be factored into the deal.
The former lawmaker stressed that such agreements with superpowers have sovereignty implications that cannot be easily reversed, stating “When you sign a deal with a superpower, you can’t easily ‘unsign’.”, making transparency and community protection essential considerations for the framework's implementation.