Nigeria identifies major new critical minerals district, large lithium discovery

Nigeria has revealed what officials describe as its most significant critical minerals discoveries in years as Africa’s largest oil producer seeks to diversify its economy and establish itself as a key supplier for the global energy transition.

At the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit in Abuja last week, the country said it has identified a new polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna state that contains high-grade deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements.

Speaking at the summit, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the Kaduna represents a “world-class” mineral province and one of the most significant developments in the country’s mining sector in recent years.

The discovery was made by private company Steron Mining in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), which later verified the find.

“Nigeria is positioning itself among emerging destinations for strategic mineral resources and sustainable mining investment,” Alake told reporters at the summit, highlighting the growing importance of critical minerals in clean energy supply chains.

The announcement coincided with the disclosure by Steron Mining that exploration work at its Abuja-area operation had identified approximately 3.3 million tonnes of lithium reserves. Company geologists said the broader project hosts an estimated 94.8 million tonnes of mineral resources, including lithium-bearing ore and granitic rock.

The discoveries come as governments and manufacturers worldwide scramble to secure supplies of lithium and other battery metals needed for electric vehicles, energy storage systems and renewable energy infrastructure.

Nigeria’s lithium potential has attracted growing international interest. Chinese companies, including Jiuling Lithium and Canmax Technologies, have committed more than $1.3 billion toward processing facilities in the country, including Kaduna state, while foreign investors continue to acquire exploration and mining licences across several states.

The government has increasingly emphasized domestic beneficiation, seeking to move beyond the export of raw ore and build local processing capacity. During the recent summit, Steron said it already processes lithium ore locally before export in line with federal policies aimed at increasing value addition within Nigeria.

Industry observers caution that significant hurdles remain before the discoveries can be translated into large-scale production. Infrastructure constraints, power shortages, artisanal mining activity and regulatory challenges continue to weigh on the development of Nigeria’s mining industry.