Kaduna State has made history with the launch of the country’s first-ever lithium processing facility, an initiative spearheaded by Governor Uba Sani.
The facility, sited in Kangimi village along the Kaduna-Jos route, is capable of refining more than 30,000 tonnes of lithium daily.
This development was made public during the quarterly press briefing held by the State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources.
Commissioner Alhaji Abubakar Buba described Kaduna as a fast-rising centre for solid minerals in Nigeria, with over 70 mineral resources including lithium, tin, gold, and titanium.
The Commissioner revealed that the Kaduna Mining Development Company had acquired 18 new mining licenses, further expanding the state’s stake in Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
He noted that Governor Sani is committed to revitalising the sector to drive internal revenue, attract global investments, and reduce illegal mining.
As part of a long-term strategy, the state engaged Core International Marketing and Management Ltd to design a mining development blueprint.
Kaduna earned N30 million from mining in the second half of 2024, and authorities are projecting even higher revenues for 2025.
Buba also acknowledged that the rate of illegal mining has dropped considerably.
He credited the decline to improved security and the governor’s decision to convert informal miners into cooperatives, offering them structured roles in the formal economy.