By Tosin Temiye.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has pledged his country’s full support for Nigeria’s bid to join the G20, describing Nigeria as a “valued sister country.”
Ramaphosa made the commitment during the official launch of South Africa’s G20 presidency in Cape Town on Tuesday. Shortly after the event, he hosted Nigerian President Bola Tinubu at Tuynhuys to co-chair the 11th Bi-National Commission (BNC) between the two nations.
This development was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, titled *‘South Africa Eyes Nigeria’s Lithium for Electric Vehicle Revolution, Backs Nigeria’s Bid to Join G20.
Focus on Lithium for EVs
During the meetings, Ramaphosa highlighted the growing importance of Nigeria’s lithium reserves in driving the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs). South Africa expressed a strong interest in collaborating with Nigeria to leverage its lithium resources as part of the EV revolution.
The South African president reiterated his country’s support for Nigeria’s G20 aspirations during both a private meeting with President Tinubu and an expanded session with officials from both governments at the BNC.
This cooperation signals deeper economic and strategic ties between Africa’s two largest economies as they explore mutual benefits in global and regional contexts.