Resources for people

What do Nigeria's natural resources mean for you?

Start with the outcome you care about. Civic connects resource evidence to work, business, participation, and accountability. Modeled valuations stay in the evidence layer rather than being treated as money available to citizens today.

Explore practical paths View resource evidence

Choose your goal

Start with what you are trying to do

Find work and skills

See where a resource creates jobs, technical roles, training needs, and adjacent services.

Start or grow a business

Find lower- and medium-capital opportunities around processing, logistics, services, and supply chains.

Understand investment paths

Separate practical participation from headline resource-value simulations.

Hold institutions accountable

Connect resource activity to representatives, elections, and public revenue instead of stopping at geology.

Explore by resource

From resource to something you can act on

Civic only surfaces a resource here when there is a demand profile with practical participation information.

Cobalt

Strategic resource

metal

Global market context

$15.7 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• EV batteries (largest demand driver)
• Consumer electronics
• Aerospace superalloys

Demand examples: Tesla, Apple, CATL, Samsung SDI.

Business and investment paths

Cobalt Exploration

Explore for cobalt deposits, particularly in areas with nickel mineralization.

high capital

Ways to participate now

Responsible Mining Advocacy

Nigeria can position itself as ethical alternative to DRC cobalt. Support transparency initiatives.

For: citizens, diaspora

Nigeria advantage: Not associated with DRC human rights concerns

Constraint: Limited known deposits compared to DRC

Crude Oil

Strategic resource

energy

Global market context

$3.3 trillion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Transportation (still dominant)
• Petrochemicals
• Emerging market growth

Demand examples: China, United States, India, European Union.

Business and investment paths

Oil Services Companies

Provide drilling, maintenance, logistics, or technical services to oil majors.

medium capitalSMEs

Petroleum Products Trading

Trade refined petroleum products in the domestic market.

medium capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Understand Oil Revenue

Learn how oil money flows through the economy. Demand transparency in NNPC accounts.

For: citizens

Support Dangote Refinery

The 650,000 bpd refinery could end fuel imports. Support local refining.

For: citizens, entrepreneurs

Nigeria advantage: 37 billion barrels reserves (13th globally)

Constraint: Oil theft costs $8B+ annually

Gold

Strategic resource

metal

Global market context

$220 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Central bank reserves (de-dollarization)
• Jewelry demand (India, China)
• Safe haven investment

Demand examples: Central Banks, Jewelry Industry, Electronics Industry, India.

Business and investment paths

Gold Mining License

Acquire exploration or mining license in gold-bearing regions.

high capitalSMEs

Licensed Gold Buying Center

Establish CBN-licensed gold buying center to aggregate artisanal production.

medium capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Buy Nigerian Gold Jewelry

Support local gold industry by buying Nigerian-mined gold jewelry from certified sources.

For: citizens, diaspora

Nigeria advantage: Deposits in Osun, Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger states

Constraint: Mostly artisanal - low productivity

Iron Ore

Strategic resource

metal

Global market context

$250 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Steel production for construction
• Infrastructure development
• Automotive manufacturing

Demand examples: China, ArcelorMittal, Nippon Steel, POSCO.

Business and investment paths

Steel Manufacturing

Partner with Ajaokuta revival or build mini steel mills using Nigerian iron ore.

very high capital

Ways to participate now

Demand Ajaokuta Completion

Advocate for completing Ajaokuta Steel - one of the biggest industrial failures in African history.

For: citizens

Nigeria advantage: Significant deposits (3 billion+ tonnes)

Constraint: Ajaokuta Steel never completed ($8B wasted)

Lithium

Strategic resource

metal

Global market context

$22.6 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Electric vehicle adoption accelerating globally (30M EVs expected by 2030)
• Grid-scale energy storage for renewable energy
• Consumer electronics (phones, laptops, tablets)

Demand examples: Tesla, BYD, CATL, LG Energy Solution.

Business and investment paths

Lithium Exploration License

Acquire exploration licenses in Nasarawa, Kwara, or Ekiti states where pegmatite deposits have been identified.

medium capitalSMEs

Lithium Concentrate Processing

Build spodumene concentrate facility to process raw lithium ore for export to battery manufacturers.

very high capital

Mining Services & Equipment

Provide drilling, assaying, logistics, or equipment rental services to lithium exploration companies.

medium capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Invest in Nigerian Lithium Stocks

Several Nigerian companies are exploring lithium. Research and invest in publicly traded mining companies on the NGX.

For: citizens, diaspora

Geology & Mining Careers

Study geology, mining engineering, or metallurgy. Nigeria will need thousands of skilled professionals as mining expands.

For: youth

Advocate for Local Processing

Support policies requiring lithium processing in Nigeria rather than raw ore export. This creates more jobs and value.

For: citizens, diaspora

Nigeria advantage: Significant pegmatite deposits in Nasarawa, Kwara, Ekiti states

Constraint: Limited exploration data - deposits not fully mapped

Natural Gas

Strategic resource

energy

Global market context

$400 billion (LNG market)

Why demand exists

• EU energy security post-Russia sanctions
• Coal-to-gas switching in Asia
• Lower carbon than coal/oil

Demand examples: European Union, China, Japan, South Korea.

Business and investment paths

Gas Flare Capture

Partner with oil companies to capture flared gas. Federal government offers incentives.

high capital

CNG/LPG Distribution

Build CNG stations or LPG distribution network for domestic market.

medium capitalSMEs

Domestic Gas Aggregation

Aggregate gas from small producers for industrial customers.

low capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Switch to CNG Vehicles

Convert your vehicle to CNG - cheaper than petrol and supports domestic gas industry.

For: citizens

Gas Flare Tracking

Use satellite data to monitor gas flaring. Hold companies accountable.

For: citizens, youth

Nigeria advantage: Africa's largest gas reserves (210+ TCF)

Constraint: Still flares $2B+ worth annually

Tin (Cassiterite)

metal

Global market context

$5.2 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Electronics manufacturing (solder)
• Lead-free solder regulations increasing tin demand
• Packaging industry

Demand examples: Electronics Industry, Packaging Industry, Intel, Samsung Electronics.

Business and investment paths

Revive Jos Plateau Tin Mining

Acquire licenses in historic tin mining areas. Modern technology can extract tin from tailings and new deposits.

medium capitalSMEs

Tin Smelter

Build tin smelter to process concentrate domestically instead of exporting raw ore.

high capital

Solder Manufacturing

Manufacture solder products for electronics industry using Nigerian tin.

medium capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Jos Plateau Mining Heritage

Document and preserve Nigeria's tin mining history. Create mining tourism and education programs.

For: citizens, youth

Formalize Artisanal Miners

Help artisanal miners form cooperatives, access finance, and sell at fair prices.

For: entrepreneurs, women

Nigeria advantage: Historic producer - was world #6 in 1960s (Jos Plateau)

Constraint: Industry collapsed after 1985 tin crash

Resource accountability

A resource is not useful civic information until you can follow the institutions around it

Use Civic's other products to connect natural-resource evidence to representation, elections, and public revenue. Government is part of the evidence and accountability chain, not the primary user of this page.

Who represents me?

Find the officials connected to your location.

Follow public revenue

See how resource-linked revenue appears in the federal budget.

Follow elections

Understand who is seeking or holding political power.

Evidence boundary: resource occurrence, reserve, demand, market-size, jobs, revenue, and opportunity claims vary in confidence. The large modeled resource values elsewhere on this site are simulations, not cash value available to citizens, businesses, or government.

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Lithium

Strategic resource

metal

Global market context

$22.6 billion (2024)

Why demand exists

• Electric vehicle adoption accelerating globally (30M EVs expected by 2030)
• Grid-scale energy storage for renewable energy
• Consumer electronics (phones, laptops, tablets)

Demand examples: Tesla, BYD, CATL, LG Energy Solution.

Business and investment paths

Lithium Exploration License

Acquire exploration licenses in Nasarawa, Kwara, or Ekiti states where pegmatite deposits have been identified.

medium capitalSMEs

Lithium Concentrate Processing

Build spodumene concentrate facility to process raw lithium ore for export to battery manufacturers.

very high capital

Mining Services & Equipment

Provide drilling, assaying, logistics, or equipment rental services to lithium exploration companies.

medium capitalSMEs

Ways to participate now

Invest in Nigerian Lithium Stocks

Several Nigerian companies are exploring lithium. Research and invest in publicly traded mining companies on the NGX.

For: citizens, diaspora

Geology & Mining Careers

Study geology, mining engineering, or metallurgy. Nigeria will need thousands of skilled professionals as mining expands.

For: youth

Advocate for Local Processing

Support policies requiring lithium processing in Nigeria rather than raw ore export. This creates more jobs and value.

For: citizens, diaspora

Nigeria advantage: Significant pegmatite deposits in Nasarawa, Kwara, Ekiti states

Constraint: Limited exploration data - deposits not fully mapped