Nigeria has attracted more than $1.3 billion in investments from Chinese companies to develop its growing lithium processing industry, marking a significant milestone in Africa’s transition toward a green, industrialized economy.
The announcement was made by Dr. Dele Alake, Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, during the 2025 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, themed “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share.”
According to Business Insider Africa, Dr. Alake lauded the strengthening ties between Nigeria and China, emphasizing that this new wave of funding is reshaping the continent’s mineral landscape.
“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,” Alake said in a statement released by his media aide, Segun Tomori.
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The minister highlighted that the influx of Chinese capital is not only reducing Nigeria’s reliance on oil but also driving economic diversification, technology transfer, and local skills development, particularly among Nigerian engineers.
“Joint ventures between Chinese and Nigerian companies enhance local capabilities and create new technical jobs for our people,” he added.
As Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), Alake underscored the need for African nations to standardize mineral governance and share knowledge to maximize the continent’s vast natural resources.
He noted that Nigeria has rolled out several policy reforms to attract sustainable investment. These include the creation of Mining Marshals, the introduction of satellite monitoring systems to curb illegal mining, and the deployment of digital tools like the Electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) and the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS) for enhanced transparency and efficiency in mining operations.
Beyond extraction, Nigeria’s long-term vision is to develop a globally competitive value chain for minerals that supports clean energy transition, job creation, and industrial growth within an environmentally responsible framework.
“Our goal is not only to extract minerals but to build a globally competitive value chain that supports clean energy, job creation, and industrial growth,” Alake stated during his address.
He invited both domestic and foreign investors to explore opportunities in lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth minerals, promising a business-friendly climate and incentives for shared prosperity.
With over $1.3 billion already committed to its lithium ecosystem, Nigeria is positioning itself as one of Africa’s emerging green mineral hubs, aligning with the continent’s broader ambition to drive resource-based industrialization and sustainable economic growth.
