Nigeria’s quest to become a major player in the global critical minerals market received a significant boost on Wednesday as the Federal Government announced the discovery of a “world-class” mineral province in Kaduna State containing lithium, platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper and rare earth elements.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, described the find as one of the most important breakthroughs in Nigeria’s mining sector in recent years, saying it could transform the country into a leading destination for strategic mineral investments.
The announcement was made in Abuja during the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026, where delegates were also presented with evidence of Nigeria’s growing mineral potential through the unveiling of an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves by Steron Mining and Company Limited.
According to Alake, the discovery was verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency and resulted from exploration activities conducted by a private company in collaboration with the agency.
“This is the first time I am announcing this publicly,” the minister said.
“Recent exploration breakthroughs verified by our Nigerian Geological Survey Agency have unveiled a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State consisting of platinum group metals, precious minerals and critical mineral deposits.”
He explained that the newly discovered province contains exceptionally high-grade deposits of gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements, minerals that are increasingly critical to clean energy technologies, electric vehicle production, battery manufacturing and advanced industrial processes worldwide.
The minister said the discovery positions Nigeria among emerging global destinations for critical mineral resources at a time when competition for strategic minerals is intensifying across the world.
Beyond the discovery itself, Alake noted that Nigeria is shifting away from the traditional model of exporting raw minerals and is focusing on local processing, value addition and industrial development.
“For too long, Nigeria’s mineral endowment did not translate into sufficient national value,” he said, noting that investors have already committed billions of dollars to mineral processing projects expected to reshape the country’s economic landscape.
Meanwhile, Steron Mining and Company Limited revealed that exploration at its Abuja mining site has identified an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves.
The company’s Chief Executive Officer, Abu Omar, explained that the site was initially developed as a granite quarry before significant lithium deposits were discovered.
“We have granite in abundance because it is the host rock here. That was our original focus. We later discovered lithium and have now identified occurrences of tantalite,” Omar said.
He added that exploration activities are ongoing and that early findings suggest even greater potential within the area.
The twin announcements have heightened optimism about the future of Nigeria’s mining industry, with stakeholders viewing the discoveries as an opportunity to create jobs, attract foreign investment, expand local processing capacity and diversify the economy beyond oil.
If fully developed, the Kaduna mineral province and emerging lithium projects could place Nigeria at the centre of the global supply chain for minerals critical to the energy transition and future technologies.
