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Nigeria’s quest to transform its vast mineral wealth into a thriving green economy received a major lift on Monday as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, received a landmark report mapping out how the country’s rich deposits of lithium, copper and bauxite can power industrialisation and the clean energy revolution.
The report was presented by the Council for Critical Minerals Development in the Global South during the 5th African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026) at the State House Conference Centre, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The report paints an optimistic picture of Nigeria’s future, declaring that the country’s vast reserves of critical minerals perfectly match the resources needed to drive the growing demand for solar power, battery storage systems and electric vehicles.
Beyond identifying the opportunities, the report examines Nigeria’s current mineral supply and trade patterns, highlights existing gaps and recommends practical policy actions that could help the country move from exporting raw minerals to manufacturing high-value clean energy products.
Receiving the report, Alake described it as a timely roadmap for Nigeria’s industrial future.
“By mapping domestic demand, supply and trade patterns, this report provides mineral-specific policy pathways to leverage Nigeria’s resources for our own green industrialisation,” the minister said.
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He reaffirmed the federal government’s determination to ensure Nigeria derives maximum value from its mineral resources through local processing, value addition and manufacturing rather than the export of raw materials.
The Council, hosted by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL) and the Global South Centre for Clean Transportation in partnership with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, said the report marks the beginning of a new phase of action.
The next phase will focus on developing a mineral-to-manufacturing localisation roadmap, attracting investments from countries across the Global South, strengthening partnerships with manufacturers and supporting green industrial projects that will create jobs and expand Nigeria’s economy.
The report is the product of a collaboration that began at AFNIS 2024 between the Council, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Core International.
With the roadmap now in the government’s hands, stakeholders believe Nigeria is better positioned to harness its critical minerals, deepen local manufacturing and emerge as a leading player in Africa’s fast-growing green energy economy.
