Abuja: Nigeria and Australia are partnering to address skills gaps in the mining sector. The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, highlighted a significant step in this partnership with the inauguration of a two-week pilot training program for 11 Nigerian mining professionals at Murdoch University in Australia.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the initiative, backed by the Commonwealth Government, aims to tackle skill deficiencies in the mining sector while also enhancing bilateral relations between Nigeria and Australia. Dr. Alake emphasized that the program is the fruition of a vision conceived less than two years ago and is designed to cover various subjects such as extractive metallurgy, sustainable geochemistry, and mineral science research.
Participants in the training program will have the opportunity to go on field trips and engage with industry experts to gain insights into mining trends, investment opportunities, and sustainability challenges. Dr. Alake acknowledged the support of President Bola Tinubu and the Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Leilani Bin-Juda, for their roles in realizing this vision. He also expressed gratitude to the Vice-Chancellor and Faculty of Murdoch University for their warm reception and willingness to make their facilities available for this endeavor.
Dr. Alake stressed the importance of establishing a collaborative relationship with a leading mining nation like Australia, which is crucial for strengthening bilateral ties and fostering mutually beneficial development in the mining sectors of both countries. He urged the program’s participants to serve as worthy ambassadors of Nigeria and to utilize the training to enhance the nation’s technical capabilities, contributing to evidence-based policy design and implementation.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that during the 2023 Africa Down Under (ADU) Conference in Perth, Australia, Dr. Alake signed a bilateral agreement with the Government of Western Australia. This agreement, facilitated through the Australian Ministry of Mines and Petroleum and Murdoch University, is aimed at providing technical training to bolster the expertise of Nigerian mining professionals.
