WorldStage– The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake has said that new lithium processing and gold refining plants are positioning Nigeria as Africa’s leading minerals hub.
He said the projects signal Nigeria’s shift from raw mineral exports to value-added processing, boosting revenue, jobs and competitiveness within the global mining industry.
Alake spoke during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Mr Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, ahead of the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
The forum is scheduled to hold from Jan. 13 to Jan. 15, bringing together global leaders, investors and policymakers in mining and mineral development.
A statement issued by his media aide, Segun Tomori, on Tuesday said the meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in minerals and industrial development.
Alake said the emerging plants were also positioning Nigeria as a critical global partner in minerals essential for the green energy transition.
He noted that lithium and gold play strategic roles in electric vehicles, renewable energy storage and advanced manufacturing worldwide.
The minister said Nigeria’s value-addition policy was yielding results, with a high-purity gold refinery now operational in Lagos.
He added that three additional gold refineries were at various development stages, expected to further reduce illegal exports and improve traceability.
Alake said a 600 million dollar lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State was completed and ready for formal inauguration.
He said the facility would support battery production value chains and attract further foreign and local investments.
The minister commended Saudi Arabia for expanding collaboration opportunities across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe through the Future Minerals Forum.
He said the forum had become a critical platform for aligning national strategies with global mineral supply needs.
Alake said Nigeria was eager to deepen its partnership with Saudi Arabia by leveraging respective areas of comparative advantage.
“There are areas where Saudi Arabia excels and others where Nigeria has strengths.
“We are keen on structuring agreements that enable meaningful, balanced and constructive engagement,” Alake said.
He said priority areas included capacity building, training of mining professionals, technology transfer and mineral exploration.
Alake noted that Saudi Arabia had demonstrated expertise in exploration technologies and geological data management.
According to him, Nigeria’s vast landmass contains abundant critical minerals and rare earth elements demanded by the global economy.
He said this highlighted the importance of using the forum to develop actionable partnerships based on fairness and mutual benefit.
Alake recalled that after FMF 2025, a joint working group with the Saudi Chamber of Commerce sustained engagements throughout the year.
He said the group’s report was ready for presentation before the close of the current forum.
The minister also highlighted mineral traceability, ESG standards and mine-pit remediation as priority collaboration areas.
“Mineral traceability boosts investor confidence and must anchor partnerships, alongside clear timelines and robust monitoring mechanisms,” he said.
