In a major boost for Africa’s green industrial transformation, Chinese companies have invested over $1.3 billion in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding lithium processing industry, marking a decisive step in the continent’s journey toward sustainable resource beneficiation and clean energy leadership.
The announcement was made by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, during the 2025 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, themed “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share.”
Alake emphasized that the influx of Chinese capital is not only strengthening Nigeria’s economic diversification but also positioning Africa as a critical player in the global battery minerals value chain.
“Since September 2023, Chinese companies such as Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, and Asba have invested more than $1.3 billion in lithium processing,” Alake revealed.
“This is helping Nigeria reduce dependence on oil, create jobs, and transfer vital technical skills to our young engineers and geoscientists.”
Driving Africa’s Green Industrialization
Dr. Alake, who also chairs the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), said these investments reflect Africa’s growing role in powering the world’s clean energy transition. He called for stronger pan-African collaboration to establish shared mineral standards, encourage value addition, and build homegrown manufacturing capacity for electric mobility and renewable energy technologies.
“Our goal is not just to extract minerals,” he said. “We want to build a globally competitive African value chain that supports the clean energy transition, industrial growth, and inclusive prosperity — all under a framework of responsible and transparent mining.”
Reforms to Strengthen Investor Confidence
To attract and protect responsible investors, Nigeria has launched a series of strategic reforms.
Key among them are:
- Mining Marshals to combat illegal mining and safeguard licensed operations.
- A satellite-based mineral monitoring system to improve surveillance.
- The introduction of technology-driven platforms like the Electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) and the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS) to enhance transparency, licensing efficiency, and mineral data management.
These measures, Alake said, are restoring investor confidence and ensuring accountability across the sector.
Nigeria Emerging as a Green Mining Hub
Nigeria’s lithium deposits are attracting significant global interest as demand surges for battery-grade materials used in electric vehicles, solar energy storage, and digital technology. With over $1.3 billion already committed, the country is fast becoming a regional hub for green minerals investment, setting the pace for other African nations to follow suit.
Alake urged international investors to explore Nigeria’s wider mineral potential — including gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth elements — reaffirming the government’s commitment to policy stability, infrastructure support, and incentives that promote long-term, shared growth.
A Continental Shift Toward Resource-Based Industrialization
Nigeria’s lithium boom represents a broader African story — one where resource-rich nations are asserting greater control over their minerals, prioritizing local processing, and building resilient industrial ecosystems to power the next era of sustainable growth.
