Nigeria attracts $1.3bn Chinese lithium investment amid push for clean energy value chains

In a major boost to Africa’s green industrial transition, Chinese firms have invested over $1.3 billion in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding lithium processing industry, according to the country’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake.

• Chinese firms have invested $1.3 billion in Nigeria’s lithium processing industry since September 2023.
• Companies including Canmax Technology, Jiuling Lithium, and Avatar New Energy are driving Africa’s green mineral revolution.
• Nigeria introduces Mining Marshals, satellite monitoring, and digital mining systems to curb illegal mining and boost transparency.
• Minister Dele Alake says the goal is to build a globally competitive value chain for clean energy and industrial growth.

Speaking at the 2025 China Mining Conference in Tianjin, themed “Connect and Collaborate, Co-Build and Co-Share”, Alake praised the growing partnership between Nigeria and China, highlighting how the new wave of investments is helping to reshape the continent’s mineral economy.

“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 stated in a press briefing released by his media aide, Segun Tomori.

According to the minister, these investments are reducing Nigeria’s dependence on oil, driving economic diversification, and fostering technology transfer and skills development among Nigerian engineers.

“Joint ventures between Chinese and Nigerian companies enhance local capabilities and create new technical jobs for our people,” he added.

Building a continental mining renaissance

Alake, who also serves as Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), stressed that Africa must collaborate to establish unified standards and knowledge systems that enable the continent to benefit from its rich mineral deposits fully.

He disclosed that Nigeria has undertaken sweeping reforms to attract investors, including the creation of Mining Marshals and a satellite monitoring system to combat illegal mining and protect licensed operators.

The minister also cited the introduction of technology-based tools such as the Electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) and the Nigerian Mineral Resources Decision System (NMRDS), which streamline licensing and mineral data management.

Africa’s green value chain vision

Alake reaffirmed that Nigeria’s goal extends beyond mineral extraction. “Our vision is not only to extract minerals but to build a globally competitive value chain that supports clean energy transition, job creation, and industrial growth—all within the framework of responsible mining,” he said.

He further invited investors and partners to explore opportunities in Nigeria’s lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth sectors, promising a conducive business climate and incentives for shared prosperity.

With over $1.3 billion already flowing into its lithium ecosystem, Nigeria is emerging as one of Africa’s new frontiers for green mineral investment, signaling a broader continental shift toward resource-based industrialization and sustainable growth.