Abuja, Nigeria — The Federal Government has announced the discovery of a major mineral-rich province in Kaduna State containing significant deposits of platinum group metals (PGMs), gold, nickel, copper, lithium, and rare earth elements.
The discovery was disclosed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, during the African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026) held in Abuja.
According to the minister, the mineral deposits were identified through exploration activities carried out by a private company in collaboration with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA). He described the find as a landmark achievement for Nigeria’s mining sector and a major step toward unlocking the country’s vast mineral potential.
Alake noted that the newly discovered mineral province contains strategic minerals that are in high demand globally due to their importance in clean energy technologies, electric vehicle production, battery manufacturing, electronics, and other advanced industrial applications.
The discovery is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global critical minerals market while supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy away from crude oil dependence.
Industry experts believe the development could attract substantial local and foreign investment into the mining sector, create employment opportunities, boost government revenue, and encourage the establishment of mineral processing and value-addition industries within the country.
Kaduna State has increasingly emerged as a key mining destination following previous reports of gold, lithium, copper, and nickel deposits in parts of the state. The latest discovery further highlights the state’s growing importance in Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.
The Federal Government stated that additional exploration and resource evaluation activities will be conducted to determine the full commercial potential of the deposits and facilitate responsible development of the mineral resources.
