President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said Nigeria is prioritising lithium and other critical minerals as part of efforts to position the country for the global clean energy transition.
The president made the remarks today while speaking live in Abu Dhabi at the 2026 Sustainability Week, where he addressed global leaders and investors on Nigeria’s energy transition agenda and mineral potential.
Highlighting the importance of minerals to clean energy, Tinubu said, “Nigeria is also prioritising critical minerals for clean energy future.” He added, “Among other rare earth minerals in abundance supply in Nigeria, our lithium reserve over transformative potential for battery production, energy storage and power capacity.”
Earlier in his address, Tinubu explained the framework guiding Nigeria’s transition. “Nigeria energy transition plan, ETP integrates energy access climate refrigeration, industrial growth, and social development into single coherent framework,” he said.
He noted that implementation is already underway through pilot initiatives. “Our pilot electricity mobility project, is also delivering national energy efficiency programs, and aimed at reducing emissions, lowering cost, and stimulating the industrial development,” the president stated.
Tinubu also called on global investors to partner with Nigeria beyond raw mineral extraction. “I take this opportunity to invite partners or partnerships that ensure not just extraction of minerals, but local processing and value addition thus creating jobs and strengthening industrial capacity at home in Nigeria, they’re very very welcome,” he said.
He assured investors of Nigeria’s openness to business, adding, “Nigeria heading to do business with you, it’s easy in easy out we just want value addition.”
Lithium is a key component in electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage systems, making it increasingly important as countries move away from fossil fuels such as crude oil toward cleaner energy sources.
The president’s comments place Nigeria’s lithium and critical mineral resources at the centre of its strategy to attract clean energy investment and drive industrial growth.
Ademide Adebayo
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