Nigeria Launches $400m Rare Earth Processing Plant, Targets 18,000 Tons Per Year, 10,000 Jobs

President Bola Tinubu’s administration has achieved a major milestone with the groundbreaking of a $400 million rare earth processing plant in Uke, Nasarawa State . The facility, being built by Hasetins Commodities Limited, is set to become the largest of its kind in Africa .

The plant will add 12,000 tonnes per annum to the company’s existing capacity, pushing its total output to 18,000 tonnes per annum, positioning Nigeria as a leading hub for rare earth processing on the continent .

According to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, the project is a direct response to President Bola Tinubu’s mandate for value addition in the solid minerals sector . The initiative is expected to generate over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs nationwide .

“We are now witnessing the establishment of the largest rare earth and critical metals plant in Africa, right here in Nigeria,” Alake stated .

The plant will process critical metals including platinum, uranium, chromium, tungsten, tin, coltan, and tantalum – materials essential for electronics, renewable energy systems, electric vehicles, and defence technologies . Beyond the flagship facility, Hasetins plans to establish regional separation centres to integrate and formalise artisanal miners into a structured supply chain .

Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule, who participated virtually from the G-20 Summit in South Africa, described the project as “a historic investment” in the state’s development aspirations . The state government has pledged full institutional backing, including security support .