Nigeria Advances $400M Rare Earth Processing Facility to Reduce Raw Mineral Exports

A Nigerian government delegation has inspected the site of a planned $400 million rare earth processing facility in Nasarawa State, a project that could strengthen the country's ambitions to move beyond raw mineral exports and expand domestic processing capacity. Officials from the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, including Director of Mining Inspectorate Ganiyu Imam and representatives from the ministry's environmental compliance department, visited the project site to assess compliance with regulatory and environmental requirements.

The facility, being developed by indigenous mining company Hasetins Commodities Limited in Uke, is expected to add 12,000 tonnes of annual processing capacity to the company's existing operations, increasing total output to 18,000 tonnes per year. Authorities said the project has so far met key environmental and regulatory requirements, while urging continued compliance as construction progresses.

"The commitment that we have seen so far is different from the narrative of some others who simply extract minerals and leave," said Oladehinde Oladusi, a deputy director at the ministry who represented the Director of Mines Environmental Compliance during the visit. Oladusi said the company had completed environmental and social impact assessments and appeared to be deploying technologies designed to reduce environmental risks associated with mineral processing.

He also encouraged the company to maintain strong engagement with host communities through community development agreements to minimise future disputes. The project comes as Nigeria seeks to capture more value from its mineral resources by developing local processing and refining capabilities rather than exporting raw materials.

Rare earth elements and critical minerals are increasingly important to global supply chains because of their use in electric vehicles, renewable energy technologies, electronics and defence applications. Hasetins Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Prince Jidayi said the facility would process rare earth minerals as well as other critical metals, including tantalum, tungsten and tin.

"For decades the narrative has been of raw extraction and immediate export," Jidayi said. "This plant will process rare earth metals and other critical minerals in-country." He added that the company intends to deploy closed-loop processing technologies aimed at reducing environmental impacts and managing mining waste responsibly.

Beyond the Nasarawa project, Jidayi said the company has already constructed regional and satellite processing centres to help integrate artisanal and small-scale miners into a more formal supply chain. The initiative would include safety training, equipment support and structured offtake arrangements for miners.

Nigeria has intensified efforts to attract investment into its solid minerals sector as the government seeks to diversify the economy away from oil dependence. The development of domestic processing facilities is increasingly viewed as a key component of that strategy, particularly as global demand for critical minerals continues to rise amid the energy transition.

If completed as planned, the Nasarawa facility would rank among the largest rare earth processing investments currently underway in Nigeria, marking a significant step in the country's transition from raw extraction to value-added processing.