The Nigerian government is intensifying efforts to draw German technology and investment into its steel sector, focusing on mineral processing, equipment manufacturing, technology transfer, and the growth of local industrial value chains.
Minister of Steel Development Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu made the point on Thursday while hosting a delegation of German Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).
The group was led by Dr. Chux Onaa, Head of VDMA-German OEMs, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.According to a statement from the ministry’s Head of Press and Public Relations, Ijomah Opia, the meeting sought to turn earlier Nigeria-Germany discussions into concrete investment and industrial partnerships.
Audu recalled that the two countries had already examined opportunities in steel development, mining, mineral processing, engineering, and technology transfer at the 9th German-African Economic Forum in Dortmund earlier this year.
He said the German visit reflected rising interest in Nigeria’s industrial sector and confirmed the government’s readiness to partner with German firms to build the country’s steel and metallurgical industries.
“Nigeria possesses significant mineral and metallurgical raw material resources, alongside a large and growing market with substantial opportunities for industrial development,” Audu stated.
“The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Steel Development, is committed to creating an enabling environment for a competitive, technology-driven and sustainable steel industry capable of supporting infrastructure development, manufacturing, job creation and economic diversification.”
Key areas for possible collaboration include modern technology deployment, equipment manufacturing and supply, mineral processing, steel production, engineering services, capacity building, and technology transfer.
The minister expressed particular interest in German OEMs joining ongoing and emerging projects in Nigeria’s steel and metallurgical sectors.
Stronger ties with German manufacturers, he added, would help Nigeria develop local value chains and cut reliance on imported equipment and technologies.
He described the visit as an important step toward a high-technology industrial partnership and voiced optimism that the talks would yield specific collaborations and investments.
Permanent Secretary Ambassador Nura Abba Rimi said the engagement fits President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Steel Development to revitalise the sector.
Earlier, Onaa noted that the delegation came to consolidate existing discussions on investment and collaboration in Nigeria’s steel industry.
He highlighted that German OEMs possess technologies useful for processing raw materials, including those needed by the cement and building-materials industries, and said the group was ready to explore how these could support Nigeria’s industrial growth.
The talks form part of broader efforts to revive Nigeria’s steel industry, expand manufacturing, create jobs, increase local mineral processing, and diversify the economy beyond oil dependence.
Germany’s strong industrial base positions its manufacturers as potential partners in building domestic capacity.
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