By Naomi Jeremiah
The Federal Government has commenced operations at a high-purity gold refining plant in Lagos, marking a significant milestone in Nigeria’s push to expand domestic minerals processing and reduce reliance on raw mineral exports.
The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Tuesday by Segun Tomori, media aide to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake.
According to the statement, the Lagos facility is part of a broader pipeline of mineral processing projects underway across the country. The government also confirmed progress on three additional gold refineries at different stages of development nationwide, alongside a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State that is ready for commissioning.
Dr Alake said the projects represent a major step in Nigeria’s plan to reposition itself as Africa’s leading minerals processing hub, shifting decisively from exporting raw minerals to producing higher-value refined products.
“The projects underscore the success of the Federal Government’s value-addition policy, which aims to boost revenue, create jobs and strengthen Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global mining industry,” he said.
The minister spoke during a bilateral meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, held ahead of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF) scheduled to take place in Riyadh from January 13 to 15.
The meeting, according to the statement, focused on deepening cooperation between Nigeria and Saudi Arabia in minerals development, processing and industrialisation.
Alake noted that the operationalisation of the Lagos gold refinery demonstrates tangible progress in the government’s strategy to attract investment, improve local capacity and integrate Nigeria more firmly into global mineral value chains.
Industry observers say the expansion of domestic refining capacity could help Nigeria curb mineral smuggling, improve traceability, and significantly increase earnings from its solid minerals sector.
Source: Nairametrics