Nigeria’s push to become a major player in the global critical minerals market received a significant boost with the discovery of a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements.
The breakthrough was announced by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja. Verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, the discovery was made by a private company working in partnership with the agency and is regarded as one of the most important developments in the country’s mining sector in recent years.
With global demand for critical minerals rising due to their role in clean energy technologies, electric vehicles and advanced manufacturing, the Kaduna find strengthens Nigeria’s position as an emerging destination for strategic mineral investment.
The discovery comes amid ongoing reforms aimed at transforming mining into a key pillar of economic diversification. According to Alake, over 3,000 dormant mineral titles have been revoked to improve sector efficiency, while new policies now require mining lease applicants to submit value-addition plans that encourage local processing rather than raw mineral exports.
Those policies are already attracting major investments. The minister disclosed that the sector has secured an $800 million lithium processing project, a $600 million lithium processing factory in Nasarawa State, a completed $200 million lithium factory near Abuja awaiting commissioning, a completed $50 million lithium facility in the Federal Capital Territory that is expanding refining operations, and a $1 billion iron ore-to-steel project in Kogi State.
Revenue growth has also accelerated. Mining sector earnings rose from about ₦6 billion before the current administration to more than ₦38 billion in 2024 and surpassed ₦70 billion by the end of 2025.
As discussions on Africa’s resource future continued at AFNIS 2026, delegates toured the Abuja operations of Steron Mining and Company Limited. The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Omar, revealed that the site contains an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves and showcased both open-pit and underground mining operations.
Omar explained that the company began as a granite quarry before discovering lithium deposits and later identifying occurrences of tantalite. He added that Steron processes lithium ore locally, increasing purity levels from about one to three per cent to between six and seven per cent before export.
The company’s geologist, Bello Damulak, disclosed that exploration and drilling programmes have identified total mineral resources of about 94.8 million metric tonnes, comprising 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves and approximately 91.4 million metric tonnes of granitic rock.
Together, the Kaduna discovery, expanding processing capacity, rising investments and growing indigenous participation highlight Nigeria’s efforts to convert its mineral wealth into industrial growth, job creation and long-term economic value.
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