By Obiabin Onukwugha
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has stated that Chinese investments in Nigeria’s mining sector amounted to $1.3 billion since 2023.
Alake revealed this at the just-concluded China Mining Conference in Tianjin, while speaking on the theme ‘Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share’.
The 2025 China Mining Conference and Exhibition in Tianjin, which held between October 22-25, reenforced China’s position as a key hub for global mining collaboration, with delegates from across Africa and beyond emphasizing a partnership model that goes beyond financial investment.
A statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, on Sunday, stated that Alake used the forum to woo investors to increase their investment stakes in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
The Minister impressed his hosts with security reforms, including the Mining Marshals and the satellite mines monitoring project, which he said, were introduced to protect licensed miners and curtail illegal mining.
Alake, who also reviewed the Chinese mining business, acknowledged that investments in lithium processing alone grossed $1.3 billion since September 2023, adding that MOUs signed by President Bola Tinubu during the state visit in September 2024 have led to substantial investment commitments.
“Since September 2023, when this administration assumed office, Chinese companies such as Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, Avatar New Energy Nigeria Company, and Asba have invested over $1.3 billion in lithium processing.
“The investments have boosted Nigeria’s economic diversification efforts, reduced its dependency on oil and attracted infrastructure, technology transfer, and expertise. Joint Ventures between Chinese and Nigerian companies in the mining sector often enhance local capabilities and skills among Nigerian workers and engineers,” he said.
The Minister pointed out the reforms taking place in the Nigerian mining sector, such as upgrades in technology to ease doing business and processing application, the Electronic Mining Cadastre, EMC+, the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System, NMRDS, the Centre of Excellence, and the websites of the Ministry and agencies, serving as unique utilities to improve remote transactions globally in Nigeria’s mining sector.
Alake, who is currently the Chairman, Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to strengthening continental cooperation in mineral exploration and reporting standards, stating that Africa must build shared systems of knowledge and governance if it is to fully benefit from its vast mineral endowments.
Alake disclosed plans by the federal government to strengthen the regional Centres of Excellence in Geosciences and Mining Skills, and to expand the role of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) and the SMDF‑AFC Facility in supporting early‑stage exploration and de‑risking investments.
“We warmly invite investors, development partners, and technical institutions to explore Nigeria’s vast opportunities in minerals such as lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth elements. Our government offers a conducive investment climate, improved security of tenure, and incentives that guarantee mutual benefit.
“Nigeria’s vision is not only to extract minerals but to build a globally competitive value chain that supports clean energy transition, job creation, and industrial growth, all within the framework of responsible mining”, he said.
Director‑General, DG, Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, Prof Olusegun Ige, at the technical session on “Mining in Africa and Policy,” highlighted that the National Mineral Resources Data System (NMRDSS) and Nigeria’s extensive aeromagnetic and geochemical datasets, provide a solid foundation for informed mineral exploration.
Ige noted that while these datasets have greatly improved the country’s geological understanding, greater investment is still required to expand exploration coverage and convert data into proven mineral resources.
“Other speakers included the Deputy Director‑General of the China Geological Survey, Mr Xu Xueyi; Minister of Minerals of Sudan, H.E. Mohamed Ahmed Taha; the Deputy Minister of Mineral and Petroleum Resources of South Africa, Ms Phumzile Mgcina; and the Director‑General of Geological Exploration, Sierra Leone.Mr Joseph Lebbie,” the statement added.
