The Nigerian government has announced the discovery of a major polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State, describing it as a significant breakthrough that could enhance the country’s standing in the global market for critical minerals used in clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
Speaking at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, revealed that the newly identified mineral belt contains commercially significant deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements.
According to the minister, the discovery was confirmed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) following exploration activities conducted by a private mining company in partnership with the agency. He described the find as one of the most important mineral discoveries in Nigeria in recent years, noting that the exceptionally high-grade deposits position the country as an emerging destination for strategic mineral investment.
Mr. Alake explained that the discovery aligns with the Federal Government’s ongoing efforts to transform the mining sector into a key driver of economic growth and industrial development under President Bola Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda. He said the administration has introduced reforms aimed at improving governance in the mining industry, attracting responsible investment, and encouraging local processing of mineral resources.
As part of these reforms, the government has cancelled more than 3,000 inactive and underperforming mining licences to ensure that mineral assets are managed by operators with the technical and financial capacity to develop them. The minister stated that the objective is to improve transparency, strengthen regulatory compliance, and restore confidence in the sector.
He also emphasized the government’s commitment to ending the export of raw minerals by requiring mining companies seeking leases to present plans for local beneficiation and value addition. According to him, this policy has already stimulated substantial investments in mineral processing, particularly within Nigeria’s growing lithium industry.
Among the major investments highlighted were an $800 million lithium processing project, a $600 million lithium processing facility in Nasarawa State, a $200 million lithium processing plant near Abuja awaiting commissioning, and a $1 billion iron ore-to-steel development project in Kogi State.
The minister further disclosed that government reforms have resulted in significant growth in mining sector revenues. Annual revenue increased from approximately ₦6 billion before the current administration assumed office to over ₦38 billion in 2024, before surpassing ₦70 billion by the end of 2025.
The announcement coincided with the presentation of an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves by Steron Mining and Company Limited during a guided tour of its mining operations in Abuja for participants attending the AFNIS 2026 summit. The government believes these developments reinforce Nigeria’s ambition to become a leading supplier of strategic minerals required for the global energy transition and high-technology industries.
