The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has urged international investors to significantly increase their stakes in the nation’s solid minerals sector.
He highlighted major institutional and security reforms that guarantee higher returns and ease of doing business.
Speaking on the theme “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share” at the 2025 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, Alake showcased Nigeria as the premier destination for global mineral investment, citing a massive surge in Chinese capital since the current administration took office.
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The minister announced that Chinese companies have invested over $1.3 billion in lithium processing alone since September 2023.
He named firms such as Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, and Asba as key investors in this growth.
Alake explained that these investments are vital to Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts, reducing its dependence on oil revenue, and attracting crucial infrastructure, technology transfer, and expertise.
He noted that joint ventures between Chinese and Nigerian companies are already enhancing local capabilities and skills among Nigerian workers and engineers.
He also pointed out that Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) signed by President Bola Tinubu during a state visit in September 2024 have already translated into substantial investment commitments.
To reassure investors of a secure and efficient operating environment, the minister highlighted comprehensive reforms implemented by the ministry.
This includes the introduction of the Mining Marshals and the satellite mines monitoring project to protect licensed miners and combat illegal mining activities and deployment of the Electronic Mining Cadastre (EMC+), the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS), and the Centre of Excellence.
These digital utilities are designed to simplify global remote transactions and the processing of applications, thereby enhancing the ease of doing business.
Alake, who currently chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening continental cooperation in mineral exploration and reporting standards.
He stressed that Africa must build shared systems of knowledge and governance to fully benefit from its vast mineral wealth.
The minister detailed plans to strengthen regional Centres of Excellence in Geosciences and Mining Skills, and to expand the role of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) and the SMDF-AFC Facility in supporting early-stage exploration and de-risking investments.
“We warmly invite investors, development partners, and technical institutions to explore Nigeria’s vast opportunities in minerals such as lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth elements,” Alake stated.
He assured that the government offers a conducive investment climate, improved security of tenure, and guaranteed incentives.
Nigeria’s ultimate goal, he concluded, is not mere extraction but “to build a globally competitive value chain that supports clean energy transition, job creation, and industrial growth, all within the framework of responsible mining.”
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In a technical session, Olusegun Ige, Director-General of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, highlighted the country’s extensive aeromagnetic and geochemical datasets managed through the National Mineral Resources Data System (NMRDSS).
He emphasised the need for greater investment to expand exploration coverage and convert existing data into proven mineral resources.
