On Thursday, President Bola Tinubu highlighted Nigeria’s significant lithium deposits, emphasizing their potential to fuel the clean energy transition globally, particularly in Europe.
He also characterized Nigeria’s youthful population of approximately 200 million as a vast market, urging collaboration with Dutch investors to address irregular migration through strategic partnerships between the two nations.
“There is a tremendous opportunity between us across trade spheres but especially in solid minerals, where we have high-grade lithium deposits that we know can power the clean energy future of the world,” Tinubu said when he met Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands at his official residence, The Catshuis, in The Hague.
The President’s Spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, revealed this in a statement he signed Thursday titled ‘President Tinubu meets with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of Netherlands, details roadmap for enhanced trade opportunities across sectors.’
Tinubu said Nigeria offers immense opportunities across several sectors and that his administration is deepening reforms to enhance the investment climate.
Therefore, the country seeks robust, balanced and mutually beneficial partnerships to add value in areas such as solid minerals.
“There is excellent value-additive opportunity in Nigeria. The world knows us for oil. They will soon know us for greater innovative exploits in other areas,” Tinubu said.
He told Rutte that Nigeria is blessed with an “extremely dynamic youth population” as 70 per cent of her people are under 30.”
More so, its “200 million plus citizens…represents both a massive workforce and a massive market for Dutch and other international investors,” the President affirmed.
Tinubu also noted that such demographic advantage can transform into an incredible talent pool that need not leave the shores of their country to attain success.
He proposed, “If our young people know they can achieve a promising future in Nigeria, they will stay home and build our nation to greatness.
“Lawful migration of trained Nigerian minds and hands will benefit Europe, and irregular migration will no longer be a source of fear in Europe if we partner effectively. This is what we want.”
The President said this explains why his administration is “adamant” about providing student loans and new credit opportunities to not only enhance the skills of Nigerians but also to ensure they can access a higher quality of life within their legitimate incomes.
“We will transform our economy, and our young people will be the reason why,” Tinubu stated.
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