Nigeria Set to Become Africa’s Top Minerals Hub with Lithium, Gold Projects

By Micheal Chukwuebuka

Nigeria is set to become Africa’s leading minerals hub, thanks to new lithium processing and gold refining plants popping up across the country.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, revealed this at a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, in Riyadh.

Dr Alake highlighted Nigeria’s value-addition policy in the solid minerals sector is already paying off, with a gold refining plant in Lagos and a $600m lithium processing facility in Nasarawa State ready to kick off production this year.

The Nigerian government is keen to partner with Saudi Arabia, leveraging areas of comparative advantage in solid minerals development, capacity building, and tech transfer. Dr Alake emphasised the importance of mineral traceability, ESG standards, and mine-pit remediation for a sustainable mining sector.

The two countries are set to sign a Memorandum of Understanding on solid minerals development, with Saudi investors invited to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s mining industry, particularly in the green energy transition space.