Nasarawa State is on course to earn at least $10 million from its rapidly expanding lithium industry before the end of the year, Governor Abdullahi Sule has disclosed, underscoring the state’s emergence as one of Nigeria’s leading destinations for critical minerals investment. Sule made the disclosure on Monday while inaugurating the newly completed 12.4-kilometre Agwada-Udege Road in Kokona Local Government Area, shortly after returning from an investment trip to the United States. The governor said the anticipated revenue would be invested in community development projects in Nasarawa State and the host Endo community in Kokona LGA, where one of the country’s largest lithium processing facilities is located. According to him, the earnings are part of a revenue-sharing agreement with Ganfeng Mining Company Limited under which the state government will receive $15 million over a 10-year period, while the host Endo community will benefit from an additional $500,000 dedicated to local development initiatives. Sule said the state’s mining sector has witnessed unprecedented growth, with monthly revenue from solid minerals now exceeding N1 billion, driven largely by investments in lithium processing estimated at $850 million. He attributed the surge in revenue and investor confidence to the establishment of major lithium processing plants in the state, positioning Nasarawa as a strategic hub in Nigeria’s critical minerals value chain. The governor revealed that his recent visit to the United States generated significant interest from American investors and government officials seeking opportunities in Nasarawa’s lithium and other critical mineral resources. He added that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, is expected to continue discussions with stakeholders in the United States, while he also plans to travel to China to attract additional investments into the state’s mining sector. The renewed investor interest comes weeks after President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, inaugurated what the federal government described as the largest lithium processing plant in West Africa in Endo community. The facility has a daily processing capacity of 6,000 metric tonnes and is expected to strengthen Nigeria’s position in the global battery minerals market. Sule said the growing revenue from solid minerals, combined with improved federal allocations, has enabled his administration to accelerate infrastructure development across the state. He cited ongoing road projects, including the Nasarawa-Eggon–Mada Station Road and the Nasarawa-Ara Road, as examples of investments aimed at improving connectivity and supporting agriculture, mining and commerce. The governor also inaugurated the 12.4-kilometre Agwada-Udege Road, constructed at a cost of N4.401 billion using double-coat surface dressing. The road links Udege-Mbeki in Kokona Local Government Area with Agwada in Nasarawa Local Government Area and is expected to reduce travel time between the two councils by about one and a half hours while facilitating the movement of agricultural produce and solid minerals. Sule commended the contractor for completing the project without requesting a cost variation, reaffirming his administration’s policy of rejecting contract variations once agreements have been reached.
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