The Federal Government has announced the discovery of a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing significant deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed this on Wednesday at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja.
According to Alake, the discovery was verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, and is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global critical minerals market.
“Recent exploration breakthroughs verified by our Nigerian Geological Survey Agency have unveiled a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State,” the minister said.
“The province is notable for significant deposits of gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements of exceptionally high grades, positioning Nigeria among emerging destinations for strategic mineral resources and sustainable mining investment.”
He explained that the discovery was made by a private company with the support of the NGSA.
Alake said the development underscores ongoing reforms aimed at repositioning the mining sector as a key driver of economic diversification under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
He noted that the government had revoked over 3,000 dormant mineral titles to improve transparency and attract serious investors.
“We have had to revoke over 3,000 dormant and defaulting mineral titles as part of a broader clean-up aimed at discouraging speculation and restoring seriousness to licence holding,” he stated.
The minister also disclosed that mining sector revenue increased from about N6 billion before the current administration to over N38 billion in 2024 and surpassed N70 billion by the end of 2025.
“Our revenue performance has improved significantly. When this administration came into office, the sector generated roughly N6 billion. A year later, we generated over N38 billion and by the close of 2025 we had crossed the N70 billion mark,” Alake said.
He added that several investments in mineral processing and value addition projects were underway across the country, including lithium processing plants valued at hundreds of millions of dollars.
Meanwhile, Steron Mining and Company Limited announced that it had identified an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its mining site in Abuja.
The company’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abu Omar, said the firm was contributing to Nigeria’s emergence as a major player in the global energy transition.
“Lithium is used to power the future through batteries. That is where the energy transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy is heading,” Omar said.
He added that the company processes lithium locally before export in line with the Federal Government’s value-addition policy.
Also speaking, the company’s geologist, Bello Damulak, disclosed that exploration activities at the site had revealed total mineral resources estimated at 94.8 million metric tonnes, including 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves.
