Latest news with #Kaduna
Zawya
28-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria: We're formalising over 10,000 artisans miners into clusters — Kaduna mining MD
Managing Director of Kaduna Mining Development Company, Alhaji Shuaibu Kabir Bello, has hinted that they are formalising over 10,000 artisans miners into clusters because of their capacity to contribute to the economy and the export market. Speaking at a strategic engagement on the establishment of solid minerals clusters, aggregation centres organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Kaduna, the MD noted they are actively involved in formalising their operations while adhering to safety and environmental standards. 'We are actively engaged in the formalisation of artisanal miners ,working diligently to organise them into clusters for effective aggregation. This initiative not only enhances their productivity but also ensures that we can collect accurate data on both the miners and their outputs. 'By formalising these operations, we are paving the way for better resource management, improved safety standards and increased market access for these miners. 'As we look to the future, I urge all stakeholders to join us in this clarion call for the formalisation of artisanal miners. By doing so, we can unlock significant value addition opportunities that will not only benefit the miners themselves but also contribute to the overall development of the mining sector.' In his address, the state coordinator, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, Kabiru Yusuf, said Kaduna State is endowed with vast solid mineral resources with significant deposits spread across its 23 local government areas. He said the establishment of solid minerals clusters and aggregation centers is a strategic initiative aimed at unlocking the full potential of our mineral resources, creating jobs and boosting the internally generated revenue. Declaring the event open, the representative of Gov Uba Sani, the Commissioner of Business lnnovation and Technology, Mrs Patience Fakai commended the Nigerian Export Promotion Council and Kaduna Mining Development Company for bringing together miners, processors, exporters, investors and regulatory bodies, saying, this collaborative efforts underscore the determination to unlock vast potential of our solid minerals sector. He said, Kaduna State is richly endowed with solid minerals such as gold, tin, lithium, and gemstone. 'These resources if harnessed strategically can serve as a cornerstone for sustainable development, job creation and export competitiveness.' Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
26-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria to open two Chinese-backed lithium processing plants this year
LAGOS - Nigeria is set to commission two major lithium processing plants this year, the country's mining minister announced on Sunday, marking a shift from raw mineral exports towards adding value domestically. The facilities, largely funded by Chinese investors, could help transform Nigeria's vast mineral wealth into jobs, technology, and manufacturing growth within the country. Mining Minister Dele Alake said a $600 million lithium processing plant near the Kaduna-Niger border is slated for commissioning this quarter, while a $200 million lithium refinery on the outskirts of Abuja is nearing completion. Two additional processing plants are expected in Nasarawa state, which borders the capital Abuja, before the third quarter of 2025, the minister said. "We are now focused on turning our mineral wealth into domestic economic value - jobs, technology, and manufacturing," Alake said. Over 80% of the funding for the four facilities has been provided by Chinese firms, including Jiuling Lithium Mining Company and Canmax Technologies, according to separate announcements by governors of the states where the plants are located. The remaining stakes are owned by local investor Three Crown Mines. The Chinese firms did not immediately provide comment. The push for domestic processing follows a 2022 study by Nigeria's Geological Survey Agency, which discovered significant deposits of high-grade lithium across half a dozen Nigerian states, attracting considerable international interest. These developments are part of Nigeria's broader reforms to its underdeveloped mining sector, which currently contributes less than 1% to the nation's gross domestic product. Other reforms undertaken include restricting the export of unprocessed minerals, formalising artisanal mining operations, which account for much of the current extraction, and establishing a state mining firm where investors can own up to a 75% stake.
Reuters
26-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Nigeria to open two Chinese-backed lithium processing plants this year
LAGOS, May 26 (Reuters) - Nigeria is set to commission two major lithium processing plants this year, the country's mining minister announced on Sunday, marking a shift from raw mineral exports towards adding value domestically. The facilities, largely funded by Chinese investors, could help transform Nigeria's vast mineral wealth into jobs, technology, and manufacturing growth within the country. Mining Minister Dele Alake said a $600 million lithium processing plant near the Kaduna-Niger border is slated for commissioning this quarter, while a $200 million lithium refinery on the outskirts of Abuja is nearing completion. Two additional processing plants are expected in Nasarawa state, which borders the capital Abuja, before the third quarter of 2025, the minister said. "We are now focused on turning our mineral wealth into domestic economic value - jobs, technology, and manufacturing," Alake said. Over 80% of the funding for the four facilities has been provided by Chinese firms, including Jiuling Lithium Mining Company and Canmax Technologies ( opens new tab, according to separate announcements by governors of the states where the plants are located. The remaining stakes are owned by local investor Three Crown Mines. The Chinese firms did not immediately provide comment. The push for domestic processing follows a 2022 study by Nigeria's Geological Survey Agency, which discovered significant deposits of high-grade lithium across half a dozen Nigerian states, attracting considerable international interest. These developments are part of Nigeria's broader reforms to its underdeveloped mining sector, which currently contributes less than 1% to the nation's gross domestic product. Other reforms undertaken include restricting the export of unprocessed minerals, formalising artisanal mining operations, which account for much of the current extraction, and establishing a state mining firm where investors can own up to a 75% stake.
Zawya
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Nigeria: Kaduna LG lauds Uba Sani over infrastructural development
Chairman of Jema'a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Peter Tanko Dogara, has led a high-powered delegation on an inspection tour of several key projects initiated by the Kaduna State governor, Senator Uba Sani, across the local government. The projects inspected included the ongoing construction of the 22-kilometre Kafanchan dual carriage township road, the 22.7-kilometre Kafanchan-Madakiya-Madauchi road, seven primary healthcare centres at various stages of completion, the 21-kilometre Gada Biyu road linking Jema'a with Sanga Local Government Area, the Kafanchan ultramodern market, the standard modern Kafanchan abattoir and the Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital, now converted to the Federal Medical Centre. Speaking after the inspection, Dogara expressed satisfaction with the quality and scale of work done. 'Following a tour of the ongoing and completed projects in the council area, we pass a vote of confidence in the governor. We wholeheartedly endorsed Governor Uba Sani and President Bola Tinubu for a second term,' he declared. He stressed that the endorsement was not driven by politics but by the positive impacts of their projects, policies and programmes on the lives of the people. The council boss listed notable achievements in sectors such as good governance, stability, peace and security, infrastructural development, economic growth, healthcare delivery, education, social safety and empowerment. Community leaders across the various project sites commended the governor for his commitment to development, saying the projects will enhance the socio-economic life of their communities and the state at large. Stakeholders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the local government area also expressed appreciation for the developmental strides of Governor Sani, especially in bringing projects directly to the grassroots. Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
14-05-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Nigeria needs $10bln annually for stable electricity — Minister
Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, has stated that for Nigeria to achieve functional, reliable, and stable electricity, the country requires no less than 10 billion dollars annually for the next ten to twenty years. He made the disclosure during the commissioning of the 600kW and 3MW Solar PV Power Plant at the Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, on Tuesday. He noted that there are foundational bottlenecks that have been experienced in the past, which must be addressed for this level of investment to be meaningful. 'Number one is the legislative and policy foundation, which this administration has achieved by signing the Energy Bill into law. 'This bill has ensured the liberalisation and decentralisation of the power sector, enabling all levels of government—federal, state, and local—to legally and morally play roles in the power sector for the benefit of their citizens at sub-national levels. 'This has granted autonomy to more than eleven states, with more expected to follow. These states can now participate in the power sector, from generation to transmission, distribution, and even metering.'* 'Secondly, we must address the infrastructure deficit, which has accumulated over the last 60 years due to a lack of maintenance and insufficient investment to revitalise our transmission grid.' The Minister also emphasised the need to bridge the over 50 per cent metering gap, stating that the Presidential Initiative aims to achieve this through the installation of 18 million meters over the next five years. He said the commissioning of the 600kW and 3MW Solar PV Power Plant at the prestigious Nigerian Defence Academy underscores the Federal Government's resolve to tackle the electricity deficit. 'These projects, implemented by the Federal Ministry of Power and the Rural Electrification Agency, not only underscore our commitment to improving electrification across key institutions in Nigeria, but they are also part of our broader mandate to diversify energy sources, expand access to clean and reliable electricity, and support critical sectors of national development, including education and security. 'As an institution that combines academic rigour with military excellence, the Nigerian Defence Academy represents a strategic national asset that must be strengthened through sustainable infrastructure. 'Powering the Academy with renewable energy aligns with our vision for a secure, self-reliant, and energy-efficient Nigeria. 'It also reflects our commitment to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises accelerated national development through universal energy access.' The Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Abba Abubakar Aliyu, described the commissioning of the 2.5MW solar project as 'a turning point in Nigeria's journey towards energy access for learning institutions.' He noted that 'the agency is not just commissioning a project, but rather commissioning social impact, research, and sustainable development.'
