Nasarawa Leads Nigeria’s Push For Local Mineral Processing, Invites Investors

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has called for greater investment in local mineral processing across Africa, declaring that the continent must move beyond exporting raw materials and focus on value addition to drive economic growth and industrialisation.

Speaking at the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS) 2026 in Abuja on Thursday, Governor Sule said Nasarawa State had deliberately pursued policies to ensure that mining companies process minerals locally rather than merely extract and export them.

The governor, who described Nasarawa as the “Home of Solid Minerals,” said the state began implementing the policy shortly after he assumed office in 2019, despite initial resistance from some stakeholders.

“Instead of allowing mining companies to simply extract our resources and leave, we insisted that they carry out at least the first stage of processing within Nasarawa State,” he said.

According to him, the policy has yielded significant results, with Nasarawa now hosting the largest and second-largest lithium processing plants in Nigeria.

Sule specifically commended Avatar New Energy, the operator of the country’s largest lithium processing facility, for its commitment to local value addition and for participating in the summit.

He challenged the company to further expand its investments within the state by establishing additional processing facilities.

The governor attributed the growing success of Nigeria’s mining sector to the alignment between his administration’s vision and the reforms being implemented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration through the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.

He praised the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, for championing policies that encourage local beneficiation and sustainable mining practices.

Sule also highlighted a series of reforms introduced by his administration to attract investors and improve confidence in the mining sector.

Drawing from his experience as a former Group Managing Director of the Dangote Group, where he helped oversee investments across 14 African countries, the governor stressed that investor confidence remains the most critical factor in attracting capital.

“One thing every investor looks for is confidence—the assurance that their investment is safe. That is exactly what we have sought to provide in Nasarawa State,” he said.

He noted that the state government has strengthened collaboration with federal authorities, promoted responsible mining practices, and established mechanisms to ensure that investors, the government, and host communities all benefit from mining activities.

According to him, responsible mining involves a balanced framework in which investors earn reasonable returns, governments receive transparent revenues and local communities benefit from development opportunities.

Sule said the state enforces environmental regulations, including Environmental Impact Assessments, proper mining oversight and land reclamation programmes.

To further support investments, he disclosed that Nasarawa State has established a legally backed Infrastructure Fund, with five per cent of the state’s Internally Generated Revenue dedicated to the scheme.

The fund, he explained, is used to provide critical infrastructure such as access roads, security, electricity and other facilities needed to support mining and agricultural investments.

“This is why we proudly say that Nasarawa State is open and ready for business,” he declared.

The governor urged investors, development finance institutions, technology providers and industrial partners to explore opportunities in Nigeria and particularly in Nasarawa State, assuring them of a transparent and investor-friendly environment.

He further emphasised that Africa’s economic future depends on collaboration among governments, investors, development institutions, innovators, host communities and international partners.

The AFNIS 2026 summit, with the theme, “One Africa, One Resource Vision,” brought together policymakers, investors, industry leaders and development partners to explore strategies for unlocking Africa’s vast natural resource potential and promoting sustainable economic development across the continent.

Sule said the discussions and partnerships emerging from the summit have the potential to shape Africa’s resource economy for generations, adding that the continent must remain united in its pursuit of greater value addition and industrial growth.

“Together, we can build an Africa that processes more of what it produces. Together, we can build an Africa that derives greater value from its resources. Together, we can build an Africa united by one purpose and driven by one resource vision,” he said.