Nigeria attracts $1.3bn in Chinese lithium investments as Alake streamlines mining reforms

Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has announced that Chinese companies have invested over $1.3 billion in the country’s lithium processing sector since the Tinubu administration took office in September 2023.

Speaking at the 2025 China Mining Conference, Alake highlighted the critical role of these investments from firms like Canmax Technology and Jiuling Lithium in advancing Nigeria’s economic diversification away from oil. He noted that these Joint Ventures are boosting local infrastructure, enabling technology transfer, and enhancing the skills of Nigerian workers and engineers.

To build on this momentum, the minister outlined key reforms designed to attract further investment. These include enhanced security measures, such as a dedicated unit of Mining Marshals and satellite monitoring, to combat illegal mining and protect licensed operators.

Alake also pointed to technological upgrades streamlining business operations, specifically the Electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) for processing licenses and the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS) for providing vital mineral data.

In his broader role as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Alake reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to continental cooperation.

He emphasized the need for Africa to build shared systems of knowledge and governance to fully benefit from its mineral resources.

Concluding with an open invitation, Alake urged global investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s vast mineral deposits, including gold, lead-zinc, and rare earth elements. He promised a conducive investment climate and reiterated Nigeria’s vision to build a globally competitive mineral value chain that supports clean energy, job creation, and responsible mining.

About The Author

Dele Fashomi

Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.

Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.

He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.

Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).

He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.

He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.

Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled:  Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.

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