Uche Cecil Izuora
Nigeria has discovered a world-class, polymetallic deposit in Kaduna State, with government experts saying it’s one of the country’s most important critical minerals discoveries in recent years.
Located around the pegmatite region of Gidan Waya in the Jema’a Local Government Area, the deposit contains nickel, copper, gold, platinum group metals and rare earth elements. The discovery was made by Steron Mining, with the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) confirming the find. Kaduna State is renowned for the exceptional purity and grade of its platinum, lithium and other associated rare earth elements.
Alongside the Kaduna announcement, Steron Mining recently discovered 3.3 million metric tonnes of lithium reserves at its project near Abuja, with total mineral resources estimated at 94.8 million tonnes.
Crude oil remains Nigeria’s primary source of foreign exchange generating ?20.22 trillion ($14.66 billion) in export revenue during the first five months of the current year. But the government is working to build mining into a second major source of revenue. Fiscal collections from the solid minerals sector reached ?63.92 billion ($46.3 million) in the first 11 months of 2025, up from ?38 billion during all of 2024.
To accelerate that growth, Abuja has introduced a series of reforms aimed at curbing illegal mining, increasing government revenues and developing more than 40 commercially viable mineral resources, particularly lithium and other energy transition metals.