Chinese firm plans $200m lithium processing factory in Nasarawa
A Chinese company, Jiuling Lithium Mining Company, says it has concluded plans to invest over $200 million in the establishment of a lithium processing factory in the Endo community in the Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
The representative of the Managing Director of the company, Xiong Jin, disclosed this to Governor Abdullahi Sule during a visit to the factory’s site in the local government on Wednesday.
Jin assured the governor of the company’s commitment to building one of the largest lithium mining companies in the state.
While giving specific technical details about the size of the factory, Jin mentioned that the company would pay graduates employed to work at the mining site a minimum of N500,000.
The Managing Director, however, called for the state government’s support in the areas of security and infrastructure while urging the citizens of the state to take advantage of the company’s presence and acquire relevant technical skills to benefit from the company.
On his part, Sule, while applauding the company for considering investing in the state, called on youths to make themselves useful by studying technical courses that would afford them the opportunity to be marketable and contribute to the development of the state and society at large.
The governor, therefore, urged youths to take advantage of the company’s presence in the area to improve their knowledge and livelihoods throughout the period of their stay in the state.
Our correspondent reports that the inspection visit was prompted by the governor’s recent trip to China, where he visited the headquarters of Jiuling in Yichun, China and also met with the Chairman of the company, who promised to establish a similar industry in the state.
Fielding questions from journalists shortly after inspecting the facility, Sule said the people of the state will stand greater chances to benefit if they study relevant courses to gain employment with the Jiuling Lithium Mining Company.
He said, “While I was in China, I sought to find out how this industry will be of benefit to the people of Nasarawa Local Government Area and Nasarawa State at large. I asked them questions, and they started with employment. They said they would employ all our citizens, especially qualified technical people, and they promised to pay them a minimum of N500,000. That is what I also confirmed.
“We have seen a few of the engineers. The appeal I would like to make to our people is that most of the technical people that we have seen are from other states, some from Nasarawa, Kogi, Benue, and Plateau. Why I am very happy and excited is that there are people from Nasarawa State. I would like our people to use the opportunity of studying careers that would give them the opportunity to work in places like this.”
Sule further assured all that his administration would support Jiuling in the areas of infrastructure like roads, water supply and electricity, disclosing that plans are on top gear to step down power from the national grid in order to cut down on the cost of production.
The governor also assured all that, in collaboration with the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, as well as the Minister of Defence, appropriate steps were being taken to ensure that Jiuling Lithium Mining Company operates smoothly in the state.
