Dele Alake announces discovery of platinum, lithium deposits in Kaduna
Omeiza Bilal
In a landmark breakthrough for Africa’s mining landscape, the Federal Government has announced the discovery of a massive polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State, boasting rich deposits of platinum group metals, lithium, gold, nickel, copper, and rare earth elements.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the historic revelation on Wednesday at the opening of the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja. Confirmed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) through joint exploration with a private firm, Alake noted this was the first public announcement of the find.
”This discovery places Nigeria among emerging destinations for strategic mineral investments,” Alake stated, emphasizing that these critical minerals are pivotal for global clean energy technologies and battery manufacturing.
The find aligns perfectly with President Bola Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda. To clean up the sector and attract serious investors, the government has already revoked over 3,000 inactive mining licenses.
Furthermore, new policies mandate that mining lease applicants submit plans for local processing rather than exporting raw minerals.
This value-addition strategy is already yielding massive dividends. Alake highlighted major inflows, including an $800 million lithium processing investment, a $600 million facility in Nasarawa State, a $200 million lithium plant near Abuja, and a $1 billion iron ore-to-steel project in Kogi State. Consequently, sector revenues have skyrocketed from N6 billion prior to the administration to over N70 billion by the end of 2025.
Coinciding with the minister’s announcement, indigenous firm Steron Mining and Company Limited unveiled an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves during a summit field tour. Managing Director Abu Omar revealed that the firm transitioned from granite quarrying to underground lithium and tantalite mining, fully embracing local processing before export. Company geologist Bello Damulak added that drilling has identified 94.8 million metric tonnes of total mineral resources at their site.
As AFNIS 2026 unites global stakeholders in Abuja, Nigeria has firmly positioned itself as a critical player in the global green energy transition.
