Geophysicists Sound Alarm, Urge Federal Government to Conserve Lithium and Strategic Minerals for Domestic Industrialization

Although Nigeria holds rich, high-grade lithium deposits in states such as Nasarawa, Kogi, Kwara, and Oyo, the lack of an integrated national conservation policy leaves the sector vulnerable. Subject to official confirmation, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development is reportedly considering new regulations to limit the export of unprocessed ores, but industry insiders emphasize that enforcement mechanisms remain dangerously weak.

From an economic perspective, failing to retain control over critical minerals deprives the local economy of much-needed manufacturing jobs, technological transfer, and sustainable tax revenue. Geophysicists argue that establishing a strategic national mineral reserve is essential to guarantee raw material security for emerging domestic industries.

For everyday Nigerians, the stakes are remarkably high. Transforming the solid minerals sector from a raw-material extraction hub into a high-value processing industry could provide thousands of skilled jobs for young engineering graduates, bolster the naira, and anchor Nigeria's position in the global green energy transition.