President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday carried out a groundbreaking ceremony to commence the construction of a $ 250 million lithium factory in Nasarawa State.
Inaugurating the Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited factory in Endo community of Udege Development Area in Nasarawa Local Government Area of the state, Tinubu said that the construction of the factory project was in line with his administration’s industrialisation policy directed at providing adequate energy for the country.
Pan Quen, President of Ganfeng Lithium Industry Limited, disclosed that the mega factory when completed would process 18,000 metric tons of lithium per day and 4.5 million metric tons annually.
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Represented by Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, the president commended the company for initiating work in line with the federal government policy and assured Ganfeng of the federal government’s support.
“I want to congratulate this company for the feats recorded in Africa with greater interest in Nigeria. Under this administration, we shall do everything possible to discourage the carting away of our solid minerals without value addition.
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“I want to emphasise the fact that the era of exporting raw solid minerals from Nigeria is over. To further demonstrate our seriousness to stop the illegal export of our solid minerals, we are collaborating with the Customs to detect both major and minor raw materials from the ports.”
“Your decision to set up a factory to make lithium batteries is a welcome development that will not only add value to the nation’s product but create direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians”
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He gave an assurance that the federal government will put in place measures to create an enabling environment for their operation in all their establishments in the country.
“We will support and turn this idea into reality because you have dared to enter into a terrain that others have been too scared to venture into. I am convinced that my presence here will give you the boost to deliver this project according to specifications,” President Tinubu declared.
