Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has presided over the signing of a $2 million supplementary lithium agreement between the state government and Diamond New Energy following his recent visit to China.
The agreement was signed on Friday at the Nasarawa State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja.
Speaking during the ceremony, Sule thanked the investors for their confidence in Nasarawa State and Nigeria, saying the agreement would protect the interests of both the state and the company.
The governor said the arrangement would ensure that Diamond New Energy’s factory remains operational by guaranteeing access to raw materials, while also protecting the jobs created by the company.
He said, “We are going to keep your factory functional, and we also have an interest as license owners in whatever you are doing in your company. More importantly, the people you have employed will remain employed.”
Earlier, the Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Margaret Elayo, commended the investors for their commitment to the state and expressed hope that the partnership would encourage more investors to consider Nasarawa.
The signing ceremony was attended by officials from the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Nasarawa State Investment Development Agency (NASIDA), as well as representatives of Diamond New Energy and Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited.
Sule also urged the company to maintain a peaceful relationship with host communities and contribute to their development, describing community engagement as essential to protecting the investment.
He disclosed that payments due to Nasarawa State under the agreement would be made directly to Nasarawa Mining Company Limited in foreign currency, with provisions for periodic reviews of the terms.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of NASIDA, Ibrahim Abdullahi, recalled that the state government signed an exclusive mining cooperation agreement with the company in 2024.
According to him, the agreement contributed to the completion of what he described as the largest lithium processing refinery in West Africa.
He said the new supplementary agreement would further strengthen investor confidence and allow the continued supply of lithium materials from the state government’s mining block to serve as feedstock for the refinery.
Abdullahi added that the arrangement would create more employment opportunities for young people and women in Nasarawa State.
He disclosed that the state would receive $2 million immediately upon the signing of the agreement, with additional revenues expected under the terms of the deal.
A representative of Diamond New Energy, David Siong, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to expanding its operations in Nasarawa, particularly through local processing, job creation and the development of host communities.
Meanwhile, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Isaac Danladi, presented copies of the deed of assignment between Nasarawa Mining Company Limited and Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited.
He explained that the deed transfers the mining rights and interests of Nasarawa Mining Company within 3.5 mining cadastral units located in Endo, Nasarawa Local Government Area, to Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited following a review by the parties involved.
