The Traffic

Nigeria and Australia Team Up to Close Mining Skills Gap and Boost Industry Expertise

By Achimi muktar 

Nigeria is stepping up its game in the mining sector through a groundbreaking partnership with Australia, aimed at closing critical skills gaps and propelling the industry into a new era of innovation and sustainability.

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, led by Minister Dele Alake, recently launched a two-week pilot training programme for Nigerian mining professionals at Murdoch University in Australia — a move hailed as a game-changer for Nigeria’s extractive sector.

In a statement from Abuja, Minister Alake revealed that 11 Nigerian mining experts are the first to benefit from this high-level technical training, which covers cutting-edge topics like extractive metallurgy, sustainable geochemistry, and mineral science research. The programme also includes hands-on field trips and direct engagement with Australian industry leaders, exposing participants to the latest trends, investment opportunities, and sustainability challenges shaping the global mining landscape.

“The programme marks the fulfilment of a vision conceived less than two years ago,” the minister explained, highlighting the support of President Bola Tinubu and the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Leilani Bin-Juda, as instrumental in bringing this partnership to life.

The collaboration was cemented during the 2023 Africa Down Under Conference in Perth, where Minister Alake signed a bilateral agreement with the Government of Western Australia. This agreement, facilitated by the Australian Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and Murdoch University, aims to build robust technical capacity for Nigerian mining professionals and deepen the relationship between the two nations.

Minister Alake charged the trainees to serve as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria, leveraging their new skills to boost technical capacity at home and support evidence-based policy formulation.

“This partnership is more than training — it’s about forging a future where Nigeria’s mining industry is globally competitive, sustainable, and investor-friendly,” he said.

As Nigeria seeks to harness its vast mineral wealth, this collaboration with a global mining powerhouse like Australia represents a critical step toward modernizing the sector and unlocking new economic opportunities for the nation.