President Bola Tinubu is set to commission a 6,000-tonne-per-day lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, marking it as the largest of its kind in Africa.
The announcement was made by Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule during the launch of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) ‘Investopedia’ in Abuja on Tuesday, an initiative showcasing investment opportunities across Nigeria’s 36 states.
Governor Sule highlighted that President Tinubu’s reform agenda has significantly increased resources for federal, state, and local governments, though it has not received adequate recognition. He urged both foreign and local investors to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s agriculture and mining sectors, emphasizing the untapped potential in the country’s oil and gas industry.
“Nigeria’s onshore basins, such as the Benue Trough, stretching from Calabar to Gombe through Nasarawa and Plateau, and extending to the Lake Chad Basin, remain largely unexplored,” Sule stated. He noted that areas like the Anambra and Benin Basins also hold significant potential, with ongoing exploration by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Gombe, Nasarawa, and Lake Chad.
Sule further emphasized the mining sector’s potential, stating that every Nigerian state, including Lagos, possesses valuable minerals. In Nasarawa, an executive order mandates that all mining activities must include local processing, leading to the establishment of the country’s largest lithium processing facility. The upcoming plant, set to be commissioned by President Tinubu, will further solidify Nasarawa’s position as a hub for lithium processing in Africa.
In addition to mining, Sule called on investors to explore agricultural opportunities, particularly in states like Ogun, Osun, and Ondo. He highlighted Nasarawa’s focus on rice production, with 10,000 hectares of land allocated for agricultural development, and ongoing collaborations with 20 other states.
The governor’s remarks underscored Nigeria’s vast economic potential, positioning the country as a prime destination for investment in mining, oil and gas, and agriculture.
In no particular order, here are the per-day processing capacities for the top five largest lithium processing plants in Africa, based on available data and converted from annual figures where necessary
1. Arcadia Lithium Processing Plant (Zimbabwe)
– Per-Day Capacity: Approximately 12,329 metric tons of lithium ore processed per day (4.5 million metric tons annually ÷ 365 days).
– Note: Produces around 1,233 metric tons of lithium carbonate equivalent daily.
2. Bikita Lithium Processing Plant (Zimbabwe)
– Per-Day Capacity: Approximately 2,055 metric tons of lithium ore processed per day for spodumene and petalite combined (750,000 metric tons annually ÷ 365 days, assuming combined output of 300,000 tons spodumene + 480,000 tons petalite).
– Note: Specific daily breakdowns for spodumene (821 tons) and petalite (1,315 tons) are estimates based on annual figures.
3. Goulamina Lithium Processing Plant (Mali)
– Per-Day Capacity: Approximately 1,386 metric tons of spodumene concentrate produced per day (506,000 metric tons annually ÷ 365 days).
– Note: This is the initial phase capacity; future expansion to 831,000 tons annually would increase daily output to ~2,277 tons.
4. Avatar New Energy Materials Lithium Processing Plant (Nigeria)
– Per-Day Capacity: 4,000 metric tons of lithium ore processed per day (as directly reported).
– Note: This is the stated operational capacity, making it one of the highest daily processing rates in Africa.
5. Rwizi Rukuru Lithium Concentrator (Zimbabwe)
– Per-Day Capacity: 300 metric tons of lithium ore processed per day (as directly reported).
– Note: This is the smallest daily capacity among the listed plants but significant for local processing in Mutoko.
