Zamfara Unveils $200 Million Lithium Processing Plant, 2,000 Jobs Expected

Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal has commissioned a $200 million lithium mining and processing plant in Boko, Zurmi Local Government Area, which officials say will generate about 2,000 jobs for residents of the state.

A statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Idris, described the plant as the beginning of a new era in the state’s drive toward responsible mining, industrial development and economic diversification.

The commissioning comes as the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment separately confirmed it is working to attract global investors into Zamfara’s solid minerals sector, with Minister Jumoke Oduwole visiting the state this week to discuss trade and investment opportunities.

Oduwole urged local and foreign investors to look beyond the state’s insecurity narrative and explore the investment opportunities in its mining and trade sectors, citing Zamfara’s vast deposits of lithium, gold and other strategic minerals.

The state government said the plant forms part of a broader push to diversify Zamfara’s economy away from agriculture alone, with officials pointing to plans for the state’s participation in the 2026 Intra African Trade Fair as a platform to attract further investment.

Industry watchers say the development reflects growing interest from investors in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, particularly in northern states seeking to position mining as a driver of economic recovery and job creation.