Tinubu inaugurates lithium plant in Nasarawa, favours local mineral processing

President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated what the Federal Government described as West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, stating that Nigeria must shift from exporting raw minerals to processing them locally to create jobs and drive industrial growth.

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The facility, located in the Endo community, Nasarawa Local Government Area, has a daily processing capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes and an annual capacity of 3,000,000 metric tonnes.

The President, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima at the inauguration on Thursday, said the plant reflects the government’s commitment to developing the solid minerals sector through local value addition.

According to him, countries do not become prosperous simply because they possess abundant natural resources, but because they transform those resources into economic opportunities.

“Natural resources may be a blessing, but only vision can turn them into wealth. Only institutions can protect that wealth. Only industry can multiply it, and only people can give it meaning,” he said.

He stated that Nigeria must move deliberately from extracting raw minerals to processing them locally and producing finished goods.

“What changes a nation is a deliberate movement from extraction to processing, from potential to production, from raw materials to value-added goods, and from isolated investments to integrated industrial ecosystems,” he added.

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The President described lithium as one of the world’s most strategic minerals because of its growing importance in battery production, electric vehicles and renewable energy technologies.

“A factory is never just a building; it is where policy becomes employment, where investment becomes production, and where hope begins to acquire structure.”

The company operating the facility said the project has created more than 1,000 direct jobs and over 2,000 indirect jobs since operations began.

The inauguration comes days after PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, announced the discovery of what the government described as a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements. Mr Alake said the discovery, verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), ranks among the most significant developments in Nigeria’s mining sector in recent years and further strengthens the country’s critical minerals potential.

Local value addition

Mr Alake said the inauguration demonstrates the progress of the Federal Government’s policy on local value addition in the mining sector.

“What we are doing here today is an eloquent testimony to the prophetic statement of Mr President on the one hand, and to our own commitment in the Ministry of Solid Minerals… to developing and transforming Nigeria’s solid minerals sector,” he said.

The Minister reiterated that Nigeria would no longer encourage the export of raw minerals without local processing.

“Local value addition became a pillar of our policies in the Ministry of Solid Minerals,” he noted.

He added that several African countries have begun adopting similar policies to encourage domestic mineral processing.

“Our goal is to begin to produce lithium batteries, vehicles, phones, solar panels, solar-powered turbines, and every gadget that uses lithium as a base requirement for its performance. We want to produce everything in Nigeria.”

More investment

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule described the project as a major investment in the state’s economy and urged more investors to explore opportunities in the mining sector.

He said the state has commercial deposits of lithium, lead, zinc, copper, gold, iron ore, gemstones and marble, alongside vast agricultural potential.

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“I want to thank the chairman and the CEO of this company for believing in us and coming to Nasarawa State,” the Governor said.

Speaking on behalf of Diamond New Energy, Yu Chongqiang said the company is investing beyond mining by developing processing facilities, infrastructure, workforce training and partnerships with host communities.

According to him, the company’s long-term goal is to build an integrated industrial platform that will strengthen local manufacturing, support supply chains and contribute to Africa’s clean energy future.