The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called on global investors to scale up their investments in Nigeria’s solid minerals industry, citing ongoing reforms that guarantee higher returns and secure operations.
Speaking at the China Mining Conference in Tianjin, with the theme “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share,” Alake highlighted the progress of President Bola Tinubu’s administration in attracting foreign direct investment and strengthening Nigeria’s mining framework.
He explained that new security initiatives, such as the Mining Marshals and the Satellite Mines Monitoring Project, have been introduced to protect licensed miners and curb illegal mining.
Alake also mentioned that major technological upgrades — including the Electronic Mining Cadastre (EMC+), Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS), and the Centre of Excellence — now enable global investors to process applications and transactions remotely with ease.
Reviewing China’s increasing participation in Nigeria’s mineral sector, Alake revealed that Chinese investments in lithium processing alone have hit $1.3 billion since September 2023.
“Since September 2023, when this administration assumed office, companies such as Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, and Asba have invested over $1.3 billion in lithium processing,” Alake said.
“These investments have boosted Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts, reduced its dependency on oil, and attracted infrastructure, technology transfer, and expertise.”
He noted that joint ventures between Chinese and Nigerian firms are already enhancing local capacity, with engineers and workers benefiting from advanced training and knowledge exchange.
As Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Alake reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to continental cooperation in mineral exploration, reporting standards, and governance.
He further announced plans to strengthen regional Centres of Excellence in Geosciences and Mining Skills, and expand the role of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) and the SMDF-AFC Facility to support early-stage exploration and reduce investment risks.
“Africa must build shared systems of knowledge and governance if we are to fully benefit from our vast mineral endowments,” Alake said.
