The Federal Government has inaugurated a 6,000-metric-tonne-per-day lithium processing plant in Endo, Nasarawa State, describing it as Nigeria’s largest lithium processing facility and one of the biggest in West Africa. The project marks a major milestone in the country’s drive to develop its solid minerals sector through local value addition rather than the export of raw minerals.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the commissioning reflects the government’s commitment to transforming Nigeria’s mineral wealth into industrial growth, employment, and long-term economic prosperity. He stressed that the country must move beyond extracting raw minerals to processing them locally and manufacturing finished products.
The processing plant, developed by Diamond New Energy in partnership with the Nasarawa State Government, has a daily processing capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes and an estimated annual capacity of three million metric tonnes. Since commencing operations, the facility has reportedly created over 1,000 direct jobs and more than 2,000 indirect jobs, with additional employment expected as production expands.
Speaking at the inauguration, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, reaffirmed the Federal Government’s policy against the export of raw minerals without local processing. He noted that encouraging domestic value addition will help develop local industries, build technical expertise, and increase the economic benefits derived from Nigeria’s abundant mineral resources.
The minister added that the government’s long-term vision is to establish a complete lithium value chain capable of producing lithium batteries, electric vehicles, mobile phones, solar panels, and other clean energy technologies within Nigeria. According to him, local processing is expected to attract additional investment, stimulate manufacturing, and position the country as a key player in the global clean energy supply chain.
Governor Abdullahi Sule said the project strengthens Nasarawa State’s ambition to become a leading mining and mineral processing hub. He highlighted the state’s significant deposits of lithium, gold, copper, iron ore, lead, zinc, and other strategic minerals, while encouraging more local and foreign investors to explore opportunities in the sector. Industry analysts believe the facility represents a significant step toward Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda, particularly as global demand for lithium continues to rise due to the rapid growth of electric vehicles, battery storage systems, and renewable energy technologies. By processing lithium domestically, Nigeria could capture greater value from its mineral resources, reduce reliance on commodity exports, and strengthen its position in global critical minerals markets.
