ABUJA, NIGERIA — Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has presided over the signing of a fresh $2 million supplementary lithium agreement between the Nasarawa State Government and Chinese firm Diamond New Energy.
The agreement signing ceremony took place on Friday, August 14, 2026, at the Nasarawa State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, following Governor Sule’s recent bilateral trade and investment drive in China. The supplementary deal aims to guarantee continuous raw material supply for local processing facilities, retain domestic employment, and secure government mining licenses across key mineral deposits in Nasarawa State.
Key Policy & Economic Highlights
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Securing Factory Supply: The $2 million supplementary agreement establishes a structured supply framework that provides Diamond New Energy’s local lithium processing factory with raw materials sourced directly through state-backed licenses.
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Job Protection & Value Addition: Beyond mineral extraction, the partnership aligns with Nasarawa State’s policy enforcing in-country processing, local technology transfer, and long-term employment protection for host communities.
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Continuation of China Mineral Drive: The deal follows earlier bilateral engagements in Jiangxi Province, China, where the state signed exploratory agreements with Chinese energy firms to expand investment in battery-grade critical minerals.
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│ NASARAWA STATE & DIAMOND NEW ENERGY AGREEMENT MATRIX │
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│ • Signatory Authority : Governor Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa State) │
│ • Partnering Firm : Diamond New Energy (Chinese Mineral Enterprise)│
│ • Deal Value : $2 Million USD (Supplementary Agreement) │
│ • Venue & Date : Nasarawa State Governor's Lodge, Abuja │
│ (Friday, August 14, 2026) │
│ │
│ • Core Objectives : • Ensure continuous raw material supply │
│ • Protect factory workforce jobs │
│ • Promote local processing & value addition │
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“We Are Securing Factory Operations and Local Jobs”
“We are going to keep your factory functional, and we also have an interest as license owners in whatever you are doing in your company. More importantly, the people you have employed will remain employed… By keeping your factory operational, we ensure that you continue to get raw material. That is the essence of this agreement, and that is the essence of us quickly obtaining that license before somebody else will get it. Now we have achieved both aims.” — Governor Abdullahi Sule, Nasarawa State
