President Bola Tinubu on Thursday inaugurated what the Federal Government described as West Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in Endo community, Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, describing the project as a major step towards transforming Nigeria from a raw mineral exporter into a value-added industrial economy.
The facility, developed by Diamond New Energy, has a daily processing capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes and an annual capacity of three million metric tonnes. It has also created more than 1,000 direct jobs and over 2,000 indirect employment opportunities since operations began.
Represented at the inauguration by Vice President Kashim Shettima, Tinubu said the solid minerals sector remains central to Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda, stressing that natural resources alone cannot guarantee prosperity without industrialisation, innovation and strong institutions.
According to him, countries become prosperous not because of abundant natural resources but because they convert those resources into productive capacity through technology, skilled manpower, discipline and effective governance.
The President noted that although Nigeria is richly endowed with minerals such as lithium, gold, tin, iron ore, bitumen, coal and rare earth elements, these resources will only benefit citizens if they are processed locally to create jobs and stimulate industrial growth.
He described the inauguration of the lithium processing plant as evidence of growing investor confidence in Nigeria and the economic reforms introduced by his administration.
Tinubu said lithium has become one of the world’s most strategic minerals because of its importance in battery production, electric vehicles and renewable energy storage, adding that the facility represents more than just another factory.
“A factory is where policy becomes employment, investment becomes production and hope begins to acquire structure,” he said, adding that every new industrial project reflects confidence in Nigeria’s future.
The President also commended Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, for creating an enabling environment that has attracted major investments into the mining sector.
In his remarks, Sule thanked Diamond New Energy for choosing Nasarawa as the destination for its investment, describing the project as a vote of confidence in the state’s economic potential.
The governor invited more investors to take advantage of the state’s abundant deposits of lithium, lead, zinc, copper, gold, gemstones, marble and iron ore, as well as its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the commissioning of the facility demonstrates the success of the Federal Government’s policy on local value addition in the mining sector.
He reiterated that Nigeria would no longer permit the export of raw minerals without processing them locally, noting that the policy is designed to create jobs, build technical expertise and expand industrial opportunities.
According to Alake, several African countries have begun adopting similar policies after seeing Nigeria’s commitment to local mineral beneficiation.
He expressed optimism that investments like the Diamond New Energy project would pave the way for Nigeria to manufacture lithium batteries, electric vehicles, mobile phones, solar panels and other products that rely on lithium.
“Our goal is to produce everything in Nigeria,” the minister said, adding that the country is steadily positioning itself as a major player in the global clean energy value chain.
Speaking on behalf of Diamond New Energy, Ambassador Yu Chongqiang, representing JULING and CANMAX, said the company’s vision extends beyond mining to include advanced mineral processing, workforce development, environmental sustainability and local industrialisation.
He explained that the company has invested in modern processing technology and infrastructure in both Nasarawa and Ogun states to build an integrated industrial platform capable of supporting local manufacturing, strengthening supply chains and contributing to Africa’s clean energy future.