Lithium, copper reserves key to clean energy transition in Nigeria

The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has received a new report identifying Nigeria’s abundant lithium, copper and bauxite deposits as strategic resources capable of accelerating the country’s transition to clean energy and supporting domestic industrialisation.

The report, presented on Monday in Abuja by the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South, outlines how Nigeria can leverage its mineral wealth to meet growing demand for renewable energy technologies while retaining more value within the country.

According to a statement by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, the report was formally handed over to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, at the State House Conference Centre.

The report comes days after Mr Alake announced the discovery of what the government described as a world-class polymetallic mineral province in Kaduna State containing deposits of platinum group metals, gold, nickel, copper, lithium and rare earth elements. The minister said the discovery, verified by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), ranks among the most significant developments in Nigeria’s mining sector in recent years and strengthens the country’s critical minerals potential.

The latest report examines Nigeria’s projected demand for solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, battery storage technologies and electric vehicles alongside current mineral production and trade patterns.

It concludes that the country’s deposits of lithium, copper and bauxite closely match the minerals required to support the transition to cleaner energy sources.

According to the statement, the report also identifies existing gaps in Nigeria’s mineral value chain and proposes policy measures to maximise the economic benefits of the country’s natural resources.

Roadmap for industrialisation

Receiving the report, Mr Alake said it provides practical policy guidance for Nigeria’s efforts to transform its mineral resources into a foundation for green industrial development.

“By mapping domestic demand, supply and trade patterns, this report provides mineral-specific policy pathways to leverage Nigeria’s resources for our own green industrialisation,” he said.

He added that the report aligns with the ministry’s broader objective of ensuring that Nigeria moves beyond exporting raw minerals to developing local industries that create jobs and add value to the economy.

The ministry said it will work with the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South to develop a mineral-to-manufacturing localisation roadmap to increase domestic processing and manufacturing.

The partnership will also seek to attract investment from countries across the Global South and strengthen collaboration with manufacturers interested in developing clean energy industries in Nigeria.

According to the ministry, local stakeholders will also be engaged to advance green industrialisation projects linked to the country’s critical mineral resources.

The Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South is a partnership between Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Global South Centre for Clean Transportation at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis.

By Mariya Shuaibu Suleiman, Premium Times

Dangote sets 10-yr manufacturing target for Nigeria’s industrialisation

Group, Alh. Aliko Dangote, has outlined the targets that Nigeria’s manufacturing sector needs to meet to ensure the nation’s industrialisation in the next 10 years.

To promote industrialisation in the country, he said that the manufacturing sector’s contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) should be more than double to 20 percent, up from the current 9 percent, among others, within the next decade.

Dangote spoke yesterday, in Lagos, at the 2nd Adekola Odutola Lecture organised by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) in commemoration of its 50th Annual General Meeting.

He stated: “Nigeria needs to, henceforth, intensify efforts at promoting industrialization with specific focus on the attainment of the following targets in the next 10 years:

“15% manufacturing sector growth, 20% manufacturing contribution to GDP, 15% growth in export of manufactured products, 10% increase in the share of manufacturing to total export merchandize, stronger inter-industry linkage between SMEs and large corporations, improved manufacturing contribution to government tax revenue and 20% increase in manufacturing employment.”

Dangote noted that industrialisation facilitates the global competitiveness of a nation in the production of processed and manufactured goods by linking industrial activity with primary sector, domestic and foreign trade, and service activities.

His words: “To achieve industrialisation goals, it is necessary for a nation to formulate plans and policies that will enhance and sustain industrial development. Sustainable industrial development involves establishment of a conducive environment to encourage investment and ensure efficient usage of resources to increase productivity and growth of the nation.

“The creation of a pathway to steady and sustained industrial growth entails the deployment of industrialization centric strategies and policies; promotion of the National Manufacturing Philosophy; securing the buy-in of government for successful implementation of the agenda; promotion of smart manufacturing; the establishment of a robust framework aimed at improving the business environment, the extension of comprehensive and integrated support to priority sectors with strong linkages and growth potentials as espoused in the NDP 2021-2025 with particular emphasis on improved value addition and export of manufactured products. It also entails the development of strong partnership with the private sector within and outside the country.”

By Yinka Kolawole

Vanguard

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Nigeria plans to contract Russian firm in reviving steel company

The Nigerian government is expected to sign a Memorandum of Understanding(MoU) with a Russian firm for the resuscitation of the multi-billion U.S. dollars Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill in Kogi State in January 2020.

Olamilekan Adegbite, Nigeria's Minister of Mines and Steel, who disclosed this on Monday, said the government meant to bring back on stream the steel rolling mill which was down since the late Nigerian President Shehu Shagari regime.

The minister spoke during his facility tour of the National Steel Raw Material Exploration Agency on Monday in Kaduna State.

While addressing the management staff of the agency, the minister said once the Russian contractors to handle the resuscitation of the Ajaokuta Steel Rolling Mill were identified, the MoU would be signed and work would commence earnestly.

Adegbite said funds for the resuscitation of the steel mill is already in place, adding that a committee has been set up to kick-start the project.

The minister, however, directed the head of the National Steel Raw Material Agency, Umar Hassan to nominate two persons to be part of the committee, saying that the agency was critical to the Ajaokuta project.

Hassan said the agency saddled with the responsibility of mining and exploration in the country, was constrained by inadequate skills, inadequate project vehicles, modeling software as well as dilapidated offices.

Xinhua

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