Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating jobs, developing skills and boosting industrial growth through greater participation in the global minerals industry.
Shettima made the remarks while inaugurating Diamond New Energy Projects, one of Africa’s largest lithium processing plants, in Nasarawa State on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.
He said the new facility reflects growing investor confidence in Nigeria and demonstrates the country’s readiness to harness its mineral resources to create employment, strengthen local businesses and expand economic productivity.
According to the Vice President, Nigeria must move beyond simply extracting mineral resources and focus on processing them locally to create value-added products that will drive industrialisation and long-term economic development.
He noted that although Nigeria is richly endowed with minerals such as lithium, gold, iron ore, tin, coal and bitumen, meaningful development can only be achieved by converting these natural resources into products that benefit citizens and the economy.
Shettima described the solid minerals sector as a key component of the Federal Government’s economic diversification strategy, stressing that the global shift toward advanced technology has increased the strategic importance of critical minerals like lithium.
He also commended Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule for creating an enabling environment that attracted the investment, describing the state as a model for responsible mining and industrial development.
Governor Sule, in his remarks, welcomed local and international investors, saying Nasarawa remains one of Nigeria’s most resource-rich states with vast untapped mineral deposits capable of driving economic growth.
He encouraged investors to take advantage of the state’s mineral resources and its proximity to the Federal Capital Territory to establish more industries.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said recent reforms introduced by the Federal Government have helped attract greater international investment into Nigeria’s mining sector.
He described the lithium processing plant as an important step toward increasing local value addition, expanding industrial capacity and supporting economic transformation.
Also speaking, Senator Ahmed Wadada urged the company behind the project to go beyond processing lithium by establishing battery manufacturing facilities in Nigeria, saying this would create more jobs and maximise the country’s economic benefits.
Representatives of the host community welcomed the investment, expressing optimism that the project would generate employment, increase economic activities and boost revenue within the area.
Officials of Diamond New Energy also disclosed plans to expand their operations in Nigeria as global demand for lithium products continues to grow.
