Nigeria is quietly redrawing its minerals map.
The launch of a high-purity gold refinery in Lagos and the imminent commissioning of a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State signal a deliberate shift away from the export of raw minerals toward domestic value creation. For a country long defined by resource extraction with limited industrial payoff, the move represents a structural rethink rather than a routine policy announcement.
The Lagos refinery, now operational, places Nigeria among a group of African countries capable of refining gold to international standards locally. More importantly, it anchors a broader strategy: three additional gold refineries are already at different stages of development, pointing to an emerging national refining network rather than a standalone project.
Lithium adds a different, more strategic dimension. As demand for battery minerals accelerates globally, Nigeria’s decision to process lithium domestically positions it within the clean-energy value chain rather than at its margins. The Nasarawa plant, valued at $600 million, underscores the government’s intent to capture industrial value from minerals that are increasingly central to global economic and geopolitical calculations.
These developments were outlined by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, during engagements with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh. The discussions reflected Nigeria’s evolving posture, from resource holder to investment and technology partner.
Beyond infrastructure, the government is pressing reforms that address longstanding constraints in the sector. Mineral traceability, environmental and social standards, mine-pit remediation and clearer monitoring frameworks are being elevated as core pillars, aimed at boosting investor confidence and curbing illegal mining.
A joint Nigeria-Saudi working group, established after the 2025 Future Minerals Forum, is expected to translate these priorities into actionable agreements, particularly in capacity building, advanced exploration and technology transfer.
Taken together, the gold and lithium projects suggest a broader recalibration of Nigeria’s economic strategy. Rather than chasing export volumes, the focus is shifting toward industrial depth and relevance in global supply chains, especially those tied to the energy transition.
For Nigeria, the refinery floors in Lagos and the lithium facilities in Nasarawa are not just industrial assets but early indicators of a country seeking to turn mineral abundance into sustained economic advantage.
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