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, describing it as a breakthrough for Nigeria’s mining sector.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this on Wednesday at the opening ceremony of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja.
Alake said the discovery, verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), was made by a private company working in collaboration with the agency and has positioned Nigeria among emerging global destinations for strategic mineral resources.
According to the minister, the newly discovered province contains exceptionally high-grade deposits of critical minerals increasingly sought after for clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
“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,” Alake said.
“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.”
The announcement came as Steron Mining and Company Limited revealed an estimated 3.3mn metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its mining site in Abuja during a facility tour organised for delegates attending the summit.
Alake said the discovery underscored the growing momentum in Nigeria’s mining sector and reflected the impact of ongoing reforms aimed at attracting investment, boosting local processing, and increasing government revenues.
He noted that the administration of President Bola Tinubu had prioritised the solid minerals sector as a key pillar of its economic diversification agenda, introducing policies to strengthen regulation, improve transparency, and promote value addition.
According to him, more than 3,000 dormant and non-compliant mineral titles have been revoked as part of efforts to sanitise the sector and discourage speculation.
The minister also highlighted growing investments in mineral processing, particularly in lithium, stating that projects worth billions of dollars were currently underway across the country.
He cited an $800m lithium processing project, a $600m lithium processing facility in Nasarawa State, a completed $20m lithium factory near Abuja awaiting commissioning, and a $50m lithium refinery already operating in the Federal Capital Territory.
Alake further disclosed that government revenue from the mining sector had risen significantly, growing from about N6bn before the current administration took office to over N38bn in 2024 and surpassing N70bn by the end of 2025.
He stressed the need for stronger regional collaboration among African countries in developing mineral resources, arguing that the continent’s future prosperity would depend on value addition, industrialisation, and cross-border partnerships.
Meanwhile, during the tour of Steron Mining’s facility, the company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Omar, said the firm’s lithium reserves were estimated at 3.3 million metric tonnes.
Omar explained that the company, which initially operated as a granite quarry, later discovered lithium deposits and identified occurrences of tantalite through continued exploration.
He said Steron Mining was processing lithium locally before export in line with government policies promoting value addition.
“Lithium is used to power the future through batteries. That is where the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is heading,” he said.
Also speaking, the company’s geologist, Bello Damulak, disclosed that exploration activities had revealed total mineral resources estimated at 94.8 million metric tonnes, including 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium and 91.4 million metric tonnes of granitic rock.
The African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit is one of the continent’s leading platforms for discussions on mining, energy, infrastructure financing, and resource development, bringing together government officials, investors, and industry stakeholders to explore opportunities in Africa’s resource sector.
