FIC REPORT (NASARAWA STATE) – Nasarawa State Governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule, has provided a detailed account of the state’s earnings from lithium mining, laying bare the figures and ownership structure as part of his administration’s continued commitment to transparency in the management of the state’s mineral resources.
Governor Sule made the disclosure during an expanded meeting of the Nasarawa State Executive Council with traditional rulers and community stakeholders at the Government House, Lafia, where he addressed concerns surrounding the state’s lithium mining operations and the financial benefits accruing to Nasarawa.
The Governor disclosed that Nasarawa State now holds a mining licence in its own name, valid until 2051, following government intervention in a dispute that had previously allowed illegal mining activities to persist at the site.
“It came purely in the name of Nasarawa State Government,” Governor Sule stated, while dismissing claims that the mining licence was obtained in the name of an individual.
Providing further clarification on the finances, the Governor revealed that the state received a $1.5 million signature bonus, with one-third of the proceeds, amounting to about ₦800 million, released to the Endo community for development projects.
He further disclosed that the state received ₦2.6 billion on September 2, 2026, representing payment for the first year of a supplementary mining agreement.
According to Governor Sule, the ₦2.6 billion is domiciled solely in the account of the Nasarawa Mining Company, providing clarification on the destination and management of the revenue.
The Managing Director of the Nasarawa Investment and Development Authority (NASIDA), Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the arrangement had contributed to the establishment of what he described as Africa’s largest lithium processing plant in the state through a joint venture with Ganfeng Lithium.
While welcoming the disclosures, traditional rulers and community stakeholders also used the meeting to demand stronger safeguards for the environment and host communities.
The Emir of Nasarawa, HRH Ibrahim Usman Jibril, called for all mining operators, including the state-owned mining company, to undertake proper environmental impact assessments to ensure that mining activities do not compromise the wellbeing of communities.
Similarly, the Commissioner for Environment, Princess Margret Elayo, urged communities to engage government before entering into negotiations with mining investors, stressing the importance of proper procedures and government oversight.
The disclosures at the meeting underscored the Sule administration’s effort to provide greater clarity on the ownership, earnings and utilization of revenue from Nasarawa’s strategic mineral resources.
By putting the figures and ownership structure before traditional institutions and community stakeholders, the administration presented the lithium development as a public resource matter requiring transparency, accountability and responsible management.
ARI, LIMAN AMINU.
HEAD OF CENTRE,
FIC, LAFIA
