_Discovery includes platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earths; Minister says sector revenue hit N70bn in 2025_
The Federal Government has announced the discovery of a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the announcement on Wednesday at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026 in Abuja. The summit’s theme is _‘One Africa, One Resource Vision’_.
Alake said the find was verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, and could boost Nigeria’s standing in the global market for critical minerals used in clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
“This is the first time I am announcing this publicly,” the minister told delegates and journalists. “Recent exploration breakthroughs verified by our Nigerian Geological Survey Agency have unveiled a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State, consisting of world-class platinum group metals, precious and critical mineral deposits.”
He added: “The province is notable for significant deposits of gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements of exceptionally high grades, positioning Nigeria among the emerging destinations for strategic mineral resources and sustainable mining investment. This is a new discovery by a private company assisted by our agency, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency.”
The disclosure came as Steron Mining and Company Limited unveiled an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its Abuja site during a facility tour for summit delegates. The move underscores Nigeria’s shift from raw exports to domestic processing and manufacturing.
Alake said President Bola Tinubu’s administration has made solid minerals a pillar of its economic diversification plan. The goal: attract investment, enforce compliance, and ensure local value addition.
“For too long, Nigeria’s mineral endowment did not translate into sufficient national value,” he said. “The paradox was very clear: vast mineral potential but limited beneficiation, rising global demand but inadequate geological confidence, legal authority but weak enforcement, abundant activity but too much informality.”
To enforce discipline, the ministry has revoked over 3,000 dormant and defaulting mineral titles. The cleanup aims to “discourage speculation, free idle assets and restore seriousness to licence holding,” Alake said.
Applicants for mining leases must now submit detailed value-addition plans. “It sends a clear message that Nigeria will no longer be satisfied with a pit-to-port model,” the minister said. “We want mining investments that lead to processing plants, refineries, industrial clusters, local jobs, technology transfer and stronger linkages with the wider economy.”
According to Alake, the policy is already drawing capital into midstream and downstream projects.
“There is an $800m processing project investment in lithium. We have another $600m investment in a lithium processing factory in Nasarawa State,” he said.
He added that a $200m lithium factory near Abuja has been completed and awaits commissioning. Another firm has finished a $50m lithium factory in the Federal Capital Territory and is adding a second refining line.
“As we speak today, all kinds of lithium factories, gold refineries and processing facilities for other precious minerals are springing up across Nigeria solely because of the effectiveness of our local value-addition policy,” Alake said. He also cited a $1bn iron ore-to-steel project in Kogi State.
Alake said revenues from mining have grown under the reforms. From about N6bn before the current administration took office, earnings rose to over N38bn in 2024 and crossed N70bn by the end of 2025.
The minister said the Kaduna find, combined with rising processing capacity, marks one of the most significant developments in Nigeria’s mining industry in recent years.
