by MyEngineers
Nigeria has announced two significant mineral discoveries that officials say could reshape the country’s standing in the global critical minerals market, with a newly identified polymetallic province in Kaduna State and a separate lithium find near Abuja both unveiled this week.
The disclosures were made at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026 held in Abuja, where the government laid out its case for mining as the next major frontier for economic diversification away from oil.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, presented the Kaduna find as a landmark development for the sector. According to the minister, exploration work verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency uncovered a mineral province carrying high grade deposits of gold, nickel, copper, lithium, platinum group metals, and rare earth elements. He said the discovery, made by Steron Mining in partnership with the agency, could help position Nigeria among emerging hubs for strategic mineral investment.
Separately, Steron Mining and Company Limited reported an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its mining site near Abuja, adding to growing interest in Nigeria’s lithium potential as global demand for battery grade minerals continues to climb.
Both announcements arrive at a moment when nations worldwide are competing for control of the minerals that underpin electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, semiconductors, and defence technology.
Nigeria, despite holding substantial mineral wealth, has historically seen the sector contribute only a small fraction of national output compared to crude oil.Nigeria’s economy has leaned heavily on oil for decades, leaving it exposed whenever global oil prices fall.
A verified, large scale mineral find, especially one containing lithium and rare earth elements, matters because these are the exact materials powering electric vehicles, batteries, and renewable energy systems worldwide, an area where global demand is rising fast.
If the Kaduna and Abuja deposits prove commercially viable at scale, Nigeria could attract serious foreign mining investment, create new jobs outside the oil sector, and begin building an industry that doesn’t rise and fall with oil prices. It also gives Nigeria a potential seat at the table in global supply chains that are currently dominated by a handful of countries.
That said, a discovery is still an early stage. Turning verified deposits into actual mines, refineries, and export revenue typically takes years of further testing, investment, and infrastructure development. The announcement marks potential, not yet production.