Nigeria is consolidating its position as Africa’s emerging minerals supply hub with the establishment of lithium processing and gold refining plants across the country.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, made this known at a meeting with the Saudi Arabian Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Dr. Alake stated that the new facilities are strengthening Nigeria’s role as a critical global partner in the supply of minerals needed for the transition to green energy.
According to the Minister, Nigeria’s value-addition policy is already yielding tangible results, with a high-purity gold refining plant now operational in Lagos, three additional gold refineries at different stages of development, and a 600-million-dollar lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State ready for commissioning.
He said the projects are positioning Nigeria as a strategic minerals hub for Africa and a dependable partner in the global supply chain for critical minerals.
Dr. Alake commended Saudi Arabia for promoting international cooperation through the Future Minerals Forum and expressed Nigeria’s readiness to deepen partnerships in mining technology, exploration, training, and capacity building.
He also emphasized the importance of mineral traceability, environmental protection, and mine remediation, noting that they are essential for attracting credible investors and ensuring sustainable mining development.
In his remarks, the Saudi Arabian Minister, Mr. Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, reaffirmed Saudi Arabia’s strong ties with Nigeria and proposed the development of a practical Memorandum of Understanding on solid minerals development.
He encouraged Nigeria to leverage the Future Minerals Forum platform to showcase investment opportunities in its mining sector to Saudi investors.
The Minister said Nigeria’s vast deposits of critical minerals and rare earth elements place the country in a strong position to benefit from the global energy transition.
