By Kure Tashilane

Nasarawa State Governor, Engineer Abdullahi A. Sule, on Wednesday, July 30, 2025, paid an inspection visit to the Diamond New Energy Lithium Processing Plant in Endo community, Nasarawa Local Government Area, as the state gears up for the commissioning of Africa’s largest lithium facility with a 6,000 metric tons daily processing capacity.

The Governor, accompanied by state officials and stakeholders, toured the Jiuling mining and refining site to assess the progress of machine installation and ongoing test runs. He emphasized that the visit was part of his continuous monitoring efforts and preparation for the official commissioning, which may be graced by either the President or Vice President of Nigeria.

Governor Sule commended the plant’s investors—Diamond, Jiuling, and Ganfeng—for fulfilling their promise to replicate a world-class lithium facility in Nasarawa, similar to what he witnessed during his visit to China. He revealed that over 1,000 jobs have already been created, with a majority of the workforce drawn from Nasarawa State, thereby boosting local human capital development.

He assured the management team, led by Managing Director Xiong Jing, that all lithium mined in the state would be processed at the plant. The Governor also met with community stakeholders to secure their continued support for the investment and lauded their cooperation so far.

In separate remarks, Environment Commissioner Margaret Elayo and Special Adviser on Mining Samuel Egya praised the Governor’s foresight, describing the project as a game-changer that has placed Nasarawa at the forefront of Nigeria’s mining revolution. Local Government Chairman Hon. Mohammed Hassan Ahmed also commended the administration’s efforts to harness mineral resources for the benefit of the state and its communities.

From Endo, the Governor made a brief stop at the new Nasarawa market to inspect ongoing construction projects.

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