In a bid to bolster the mining sector and diversify the economy, the Federal Government has announced plans to set up six mineral centers across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria. Dr. Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, revealed this during an interview in Abuja on Sunday.
Alake emphasized that establishing these mineral centers aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s commitment to expanding key sectors like solid minerals. He underscored the importance of distributing mineral processing centers across various regions due to the widespread distribution of mineral resources in the country.
“The creation of six mineral centers in each of the six geo-political zones is part of our ongoing plans. We cannot centralize mineral processing centers in one location, considering the abundance of minerals throughout the country,” he explained.
These centers aim to promote value addition to Nigeria’s minerals, fostering multiplier effects on the economy. Alake reiterated the government’s stance that mining companies must present comprehensive plans for value addition, including processing and refining, before obtaining licenses.
He highlighted past instances where investors extracted raw minerals from Nigeria without adding value, resulting in significant economic losses for the country. The minister stressed that the government’s policy now mandates local value addition to minerals to generate benefits such as local employment, technology transfer, and skills development.
Alake particularly emphasized the importance of lithium, a key component in Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries, stating Nigeria’s objective to produce EV batteries domestically. He noted that by processing lithium locally, Nigeria could tap into its abundant mineral resources to advance its industrial capabilities.
Furthermore, Alake mentioned that other African countries have embraced similar local value addition policies to enhance their economies, reflecting a broader trend towards economic development in the region.
