President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated what the Federal Government describes as West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, marking a significant step in Nigeria’s drive to expand local mineral processing and industrial development.
The facility, located in Endo Community, Nasarawa Local Government Area, has a daily processing capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes and an annual capacity of three million metric tonnes. It has already created more than 1,000 direct jobs and over 2,000 indirect jobs since operations began.
Represented at the inauguration by Vice President Kashim Shettima, President Tinubu said the solid minerals sector remains central to Nigeria’s economic transformation, stressing that natural resources alone cannot guarantee prosperity without industrialisation, technology, skilled manpower and effective institutions.
He noted that while many countries are richly endowed with natural resources, only those that invest in value addition, innovation and industrial capacity achieve sustainable economic growth.
According to the President, Nigeria’s vast deposits of lithium, gold, tin, iron ore, coal, bitumen and rare earth elements can only become meaningful if they are processed locally to create jobs and stimulate manufacturing.
Tinubu described the commissioning of the Diamond New Energy lithium processing plant as a demonstration of investor confidence in Nigeria and a reflection of the Federal Government’s commitment to building an economy driven by value addition rather than raw material exports.
He emphasised that lithium has become one of the world’s most strategic minerals due to its critical role in battery production, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, adding that the new plant aligns with Nigeria’s broader industrialisation agenda.
The President also commended Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule for creating an enabling environment that has attracted major investments into the state’s mining sector.
Governor Sule, in his remarks, expressed appreciation to Diamond New Energy for choosing Nasarawa as its investment destination and encouraged more investors to explore the state’s abundant deposits of lithium, lead, zinc, copper, gemstones, gold, marble and iron ore.
He assured prospective investors of a favourable business climate, highlighting the state’s proximity to the Federal Capital Territory and its agricultural potential as additional advantages.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, described the project as evidence that the Federal Government’s policy on local value addition is yielding results.
He reiterated that Nigeria would no longer encourage the export of raw minerals without local processing, saying the policy is designed to create employment, develop technical expertise and expand domestic manufacturing.
Alake said the government’s long-term objective is to establish industries capable of producing lithium batteries, electric vehicles, mobile phones, solar panels and other products that depend on lithium.
He added that several African countries have begun adopting similar policies restricting the export of unprocessed minerals.
Speaking on behalf of Diamond New Energy, Ambassador Yu Chongqiang said the company was committed to ensuring Nigeria plays a leading role in the global minerals industry through responsible mining, advanced processing technology and industrial innovation.
He disclosed that beyond mining operations, the company has invested heavily in modern processing facilities, infrastructure, workforce development, environmental sustainability and partnerships with government and host communities.
According to him, the company’s facilities in Nasarawa and Ogun states form part of a broader strategy to build an integrated industrial platform that will strengthen local manufacturing, improve supply chains and support Africa’s clean energy transition.
