The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC-Africa) has called for transparency in the Nigeria/US critical minerals deal.
The African Regional Organisation insists that transparency and public scrutiny must guide framework.
A statement signed by the General Secretary of ITUC-Africa, Comrade Joel Odigie, on Thursday in Lomé, Togo, said the framework, signed in New York in September, covers exploration, mining, processing, infrastructure and technical capacity, with Nigeria seeking local processing skills and jobs.
Statement_Nigeria_01.10.26
According to him, public information on the deal remains scanty, with no details on specific projects, financing, mineral volumes, pricing, off-take provisions, duration, governance or enforceable beneficiation obligations.
“The widely reported 700 billion dollars represents an estimate of Nigeria’s mineral resources, not a 700 billion-dollar investment commitment by the United States.
“Nigeria must ensure its mineral resources generate domestic revenues, industrial value and productive capacity, rather than reinforcing dependence on foreign development finance,” he stated.
He warned against replacing crude oil export dependence with exports of lithium, rare earths and other unprocessed minerals without transforming the structure of resource extraction.
The ITUC-Africa Scribe said Nigeria’s large workforce, consumer market and economic position made its resource choices significant in shaping mineral governance precedents across Africa.
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He said agreements of such “strategic importance required legislative scrutiny, public debate and institutional oversight to ensure transparency and protect national interests”.
Comrade Odigie also sought to know the level of prior discussion and scrutiny undertaken by the National Assembly, including the Senate, before advancement of the framework and called for publication of “the full framework and enforceable safeguards covering domestic beneficiation, local content, technology transfer, decent work, taxation and public revenues”.
He called for environmental protection and community-benefit provisions, stressing that mineral development should contribute to inclusive economic growth, industrialisation and decent job creation.
Odigie said ITUC-Africa would sustain advocacy for equitable resource governance, domestic value addition and mineral revenues capable of financing Africa’s industrialisation and shared prosperity.
He said the organisation’s advocacy was guided by the African Union’s Africa Mining Vision and commended countries pursuing value addition to mineral resources.
The statement urged African countries to protect their resource wealth from internal sabotage and external manipulation, “ensuring mineral development translated into industrial growth and shared prosperity.”
