The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Oladele Alake has said that there was comprehensive data on the pattern and quantity of energy mineral Lithium available at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency for businesses interested in establishing lithium companies in Nigeria.
Alake disclosed this in Doha, Qatar on Saturday at a meeting with Qatari businessmen on the sidelines of the visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the Arab country.
A statement by Kehinde Bamigbetan, special adviser to the minister, stated that Alake made the disclosure while responding to enquires on the quality of Nigerian lithium by Qatari business mogul Sheikh Shahid Jawad at the meeting held at the prestigious Sheraton Doha.
Alake said that mineral exploration initiated by the Federal Government has identified locations where lithium occurs in commercial quanties in high grades.
“To buttress the disclosure, Alake recalled that on a visit to Australia, he was presented with samples of rock composites from Nigeria with high grade lithium content confirmed by laboratory analysis. He said it showed that the quality of Nigerian lithium has been recognised by the global mining sector,” the statement added.
While encouraging Qatari businessmen to visit the country and witness the immense opportunities in mining, Alake said the Nigerian government has put in place generous, investor-friendly policies to facilitate business.
Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary of Solid Minerals Development Fund, Fatimah Shinkafi urged investors to explore opportunities in mining infrastructures.
Giving the example of Vale, a mining company in Brazil that invested in trains to ease the transportation of minerals from the Mines to the processing towns, Shinkafi said while the government will continue to provide transportation facilities to the Mines, mining companies that recognise the significance of transportation to their future cost control will invest wisely by supplementing government’s efforts.
Also giving the Minister the update of its activities in the Mining sector, the Vice- chairman of the Qatar-Nigerian Chamber of Business, Muhammed Santuraki said the chamber was formed in 2017 to build business relations between both countries.
Recalling a recent visit to a gold mine in Nasarawa State, Santuraki observed the existence of good roads for the haulage of minerals to the ports.
Other businessmen at the top-level meeting were Sheikh El Jouneid, Chief Executive Officer, ETCC Qatar and Aminu Dahiru, chairman, Asdub Oil & Gas.
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