Nigeria has announced what could be one of its most significant mining discoveries in recent years, unveiling a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State while also revealing an estimated 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at a separate mining site near Abuja.
The twin announcements were made at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit 2026 in Abuja, highlighting the country's growing ambition to position mining as a major pillar of economic diversification beyond oil.
Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake described the Kaduna discovery as a landmark breakthrough that could elevate Nigeria's standing in the rapidly expanding global market for critical minerals used in clean energy technologies and advanced manufacturing.
Unveiling the discovery publicly for the first time, Alake described it as a milestone for Nigeria's mining sector, saying the exceptionally high-grade deposits could position the country among emerging global hubs for strategic minerals and sustainable mining investment.
According to the minister, the newly identified mineral province contains high-grade deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements.
