President Bola Tinubu has recommended the inauguration of Nigeria’s largest lithium processing plant in Lafia, Nasarawa State, hailing it as a transparent indication of the nation’s attractiveness for international funding.
President Tinubu made the remarks on Friday in Abuja throughout a gathering with Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who was accompanied by Mr. Hello Yongwei, Chairman of Avatar New Vitality Supplies Firm Restricted, and Mr. Zhenhua Pei, Chairman, Canmax Applied sciences.
Based on a press release by presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, Avatar, a Chinese language agency, constructed the lithium processing plant which produces about 4,000 metric tonnes every day whereas Canmax Applied sciences, a famend Chinese language agency answerable for over 30% of world battery materials manufacturing, introduced a brand new funding of $200 million for an additional lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State.
Welcoming the inauguration of the plant and the announcement of latest funding plans, President Tinubu urged the Chinese language companies to prioritise environmental safety, group engagement, and company social accountability (CSR) initiatives as integral components of their operations.
“There are different elements of lithium that you’re exploring within the nation, particularly in battery manufacturing. Nigeria is a large marketplace for photo voltaic panels. Africa is a serious client of photo voltaic applied sciences.
“I don’t see why these panels and batteries can’t be produced right here. The labour is cheaper. Our youths are vibrant and expert. Our individuals are good and adapt to new know-how. The financial system is more and more extra vibrant, and Nigeria is reliable.
“We now have the consumption capability and a surplus of steady-handed residents with gifted minds and an innate drive to work and produce.
”It’s essential to not depart the group in ruins as you probe for our high-grade minerals. You should be involved with cooperation and all the time look after the group.
“We’re caring companions. We would like your investments to succeed so to develop additional. Everytime you name on us, we’ll show you how to. You’ll be able to, in mutually-beneficial collaboration with us, dominate the photo voltaic panel market as a part of a revolution in Africa and the West African sub-region.
”You’ll be able to all the time promote the curiosity of China and Nigeria as the most effective place in Africa to do enterprise. We’re making ready to provide on this nation the photo voltaic applied sciences that the complete continent will use,” the President mentioned.
President Tinubu additionally applauded Governor Sule and the Minister of Strong Minerals Growth, Mr. Dele Alake, for his or her dedication to making sure environmental safety and worth addition by mining companies working within the nation.
”The Governor of Nasarawa State and the Honourable Minister of Strong Minerals, Dele Alake, additionally share in these congratulations.
“It’s a nice pleasure to have you ever (the Chinese language executives) in Nigeria. It’s a part of our marketing campaign that Nigeria is open for enterprise. We congratulate your braveness in believing in us and the inauguration of the brand new manufacturing facility. I can guarantee you that we’ll proceed to provide the crucial assist and encouragement.
“This is a chance so that you can assist inform the remainder of the funding world that Nigeria is strong and open for enterprise,” the President added.
In his remarks, Governor Sule thanked the President for his unflinching assist towards strong mineral improvement within the nation and for sending Senate President Godswill Akpabio to symbolize him on the inauguration.
”The corporate that we simply commissioned at the moment in Nasarawa is a 500-million-dollar turnover firm. They’re comfortable, and so they have seen sufficient potential to mine lithium within the area for the following 15 to twenty years,’’ the governor mentioned.
In his remarks, Mr. Alake mentioned the ministry has launched into proactive measures to deal with the dangers posed by deserted mines throughout the nation, left behind by colonialists within the Fifties and Sixties.
”We’re within the technique of putting in remedial measures, changing a few of them into constructive makes use of, like farming and irrigation.
“To make sure that corporations working on this sector not abandon the mines after they’ve completed operations, it’s a part of our necessities that for licencing recent candidates, there should be concrete remediation plans which can be viable and dealing earlier than any software is authorized for mining,” he mentioned.
The Minister additionally mentioned candidates in search of mining licences should display a dedication to enhancing native worth throughout the complete mining worth chain, aligning with the federal government’s agenda to advertise indigenous participation and financial empowerment.
”Your Excellency, in a nutshell, allow me to revel within the perception with conviction that below your management, with all of the coverage initiatives you have got put in place, there’s nowhere else for Nigeria to go however ahead. Ahead ever and backward by no means,” the Minister mentioned.
Of their separate remarks, the Chinese language executives described their investments in Nigeria as worthwhile and pledged to stick to mining laws whereas fulfilling their company social duties to their host communities.