KADUNA BREAKTHROUGH: Nigeria uncovers ‘world-class’ platinum, lithium and rare earth deposits
The Nigerian government has announced the discovery of a “world-class” polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State.
The newly mapped zone contains high-grade deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements.
The minister of solid minerals development, Dele Alake, made this disclosure on Wednesday during the opening ceremony of the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026) at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja.
Speaking under the summit’s theme, “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” Alake revealed that this was the first time the discovery was being made public. He emphasized that the find could fundamentally alter Nigeria’s standing in the highly competitive global critical minerals market.
A private-public exploration success
According to the Minister, the massive mineral find was confirmed by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) following extensive exploration activities driven by a private mining firm in collaboration with the agency.
Addressing journalists and industry stakeholders, Alake said “Recently, and this is very, very important for newsmen and stakeholders to take note, this is the first time I am announcing this publicly. Recent exploration breakthroughs verified by our Nigerian Geological Survey Agency have unveiled a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State… The province is notable for significant deposits of gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements of exceptionally high grades.”
The discovery features minerals that are in soaring demand globally for clean energy technologies, electric vehicles, and advanced electronics, positioning Nigeria as an emerging hub for sustainable mining investments.
Ending the ‘pit-to-port’ paradox
The breakthrough aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which seeks to position the solid minerals sector as a primary engine for economic diversification and industrialization.
Alake lamented Nigeria’s historical failure to properly capitalize on its underground wealth, noting that the administration is aggressively pushing a policy shift away from exporting raw minerals toward domestic value addition and processing.
“For too long, Nigeria’s mineral endowment did not translate into sufficient national value,” Alake admitted, pointing out the historical paradox of vast mineral wealth paired with weak legal enforcement and rampant informal, unregulated mining.
To clean up the sector, the government has already taken decisive regulatory steps, including title revocation by revoking 924 dormant mineral titles to crack down on speculators and ensure active development.
Another step is mandatory value-addition, requiring all future applicants for mining leases to submit comprehensive domestic value-addition plans.
The goal, Alake stressed, is to replace the old “pit-to-port” model (extracting raw ore and shipping it directly abroad) with local refineries, technology transfer, and domestic job creation.
Rising revenues and incoming investments
The minister noted that the government’s strict policy shift is already yielding massive dividends, pointing to several mega-projects currently taking shape across the country.
These reforms and structural cleanups have also sparked an exponential rise in the sector’s contribution to the national treasury.
Solid minerals revenue growth
| Year | Annual Revenue Generated |
| Pre-Reform (Baseline) | ~ ₦6 Billion |
| 2024 | ₦38 Billion |
| 2025 | ₦68.1 Billion |
While concluding his address, Alake remarked that while these revenue figures are encouraging, they only represent a fraction of what the mining sector can truly deliver as investor confidence and regulatory enforcement continue to strengthen across Nigeria.
