Nigerian government announces discovery of rare metal deposits in Kaduna

Thursday, June 25, 2026 - The Federal Government has announced the discovery of a major polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements, in what officials described as a significant boost for Nigeria’s mining sector.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the development on Wednesday, June 24, at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026 in Abuja. According to him, the discovery was verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and was made by a private company working in collaboration with the agency.

Alake said the newly identified mineral province contains high-grade deposits of strategic minerals that are increasingly important for clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing. He described the find as one of the most significant developments in Nigeria’s mining industry in recent years and said it could strengthen the country’s position in the global critical minerals market.

The announcement came as Steron Mining and Company Limited revealed that it has identified an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its Abuja mining site. Delegates attending the summit toured the facility as part of efforts to showcase Nigeria’s growing mining industry and increasing investment in local mineral processing.

Speaking at the event, Alake said the federal government is pursuing reforms aimed at transforming the mining sector into a major driver of economic growth and industrialisation. He noted that the government has moved away from a model focused on exporting raw minerals and is instead encouraging local processing, refining and value addition.

According to the minister, more than 3,000 dormant and non-performing mineral titles have been revoked as part of efforts to improve compliance, discourage speculation and ensure that mining licences are held by operators capable of developing them.

He added that investors have committed billions of dollars to mineral processing projects across the country, including lithium refining facilities and an iron ore-to-steel project in Kogi State. Among the projects highlighted were an $800 million lithium processing investment, a $600 million lithium processing factory in Nasarawa State, a completed $200 million lithium facility near Abuja awaiting commissioning, and a $50 million lithium processing plant in the Federal Capital Territory that is already expanding operations.

Alake also reported significant growth in government revenue from the mining sector, stating that annual revenue rose from about ₦6 billion before the current administration took office to more than ₦38 billion in 2024 and exceeded ₦70 billion by the end of 2025.

He called for stronger collaboration among African countries in developing natural resources, arguing that the continent’s future prosperity depends on regional integration, value addition and industrialisation rather than continued reliance on raw material exports.

During the summit, Steron Mining Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Omar, said the company organised the site tour to demonstrate the role of indigenous firms in developing critical mineral resources. He explained that the company originally operated as a granite quarry before discovering lithium deposits and later identifying tantalite occurrences.

Omar said lithium remains one of the world’s most sought-after minerals due to its importance in battery production and renewable energy technologies. He added that the company processes lithium locally to improve purity levels before export, in line with government policies encouraging value addition.

Steron Mining’s geologist, Bello Damulak, disclosed that exploration and drilling activities at the site have identified total mineral resources estimated at 94.8 million metric tonnes, including approximately 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium and 91.4 million metric tonnes of granitic rock.

The African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit brings together government officials, investors, financiers and industry leaders to discuss mining, energy, infrastructure financing and resource development across the continent. This year's summit is focused on regional cooperation, critical minerals development, value addition and industrialisation as global demand for minerals used in clean energy technologies continues to rise.