Ekiti State, Nigeria West Africa’s emerging lithium belt
Lithium, secured at the source.
Azure Mining Limited is aggregating lepidolite ore in Ekiti State while converting local relationships into formal mining title building a compliant, locally led route into the global battery supply chain.
At a glance
A locally embedded operator, positioned ahead of the licence.
Four things worth knowing before you read any further.
The asset
Lepidolite lithium-bearing pegmatites in Ekiti State, part of Nigeria’s proven lithium belt.
The stage
Mining title is being secured, and ore aggregation from established local producers is already underway.
The edge
Established relationships in Ekiti with title holders, host communities and state stakeholders.
What we seek
Two partners: an offtake and export partner, and a foreign technical and financing partner.
The opportunity
A structural deficit in the world’s most critical battery metal.
Lithium is the critical input for electric-vehicle and grid-storage batteries a structurally growing market running a sustained supply deficit.
US$32B
Global lithium market, 2025
~US$96B
Forecast market value by 2033
~14.5%
Projected CAGR, 2026–2033
Where the ore is
Nigeria’s lithium belt ; and Ekiti’s place in it
Nigeria’s lithium belt spans more than thirteen states, and Ekiti is a confirmed lepidolite district. Commercial interest is already validated: foreign explorers hold over 600 km² of granted lithium tenure across south-west Nigeria, in Oyo, Kwara and Ekiti.
Yet the sector remains fragmented and underexplored, with much of its output still artisanal. That is precisely the gap a nimble, locally embedded operator is built to fill.
The barrier to entry
The Nigerian licensing challenge
The single greatest barrier to entry is securing title. Stated honestly: this is where most prospective operators stall.
A centralised, slow process
Titles are administered centrally through the Mining Cadastre Office a competitive, lengthy and costly process for new entrants.
Prime ground is already locked up
Proven acreage is increasingly held by large, well-funded explorers, which raises the value of local relationships and practical ground access.
Land and community complexity
Overlapping claims and host-community expectations are difficult to resolve from the outside.
A value-addition mandate
Policy now restricts the export of raw minerals and mandates local processing, so a credible partner plan is essential.
Why Azure
Our competitive edge is local, and it is difficult to replicate.
Capital and technical expertise can be sourced anywhere. Standing in Ekiti cannot.
Relationships in Ekiti
Trusted ties with title holders, host communities and state stakeholders, giving a credible pathway to securing mining title.
Immediate supply access
Direct knowledge of the artisanal supply base enables early, low-cost ore aggregation.
Speed and local execution
A lean, locally led team able to move quickly once an offtake channel and development partner are in place.
Lower risk, staged entry
Early cash flow and a proven asset before significant capital is committed by partners.
How we get there
A phased strategy that de-risks each step before the next.
Revenue first, then title, then scale so partners commit capital against evidence rather than intent.
PHASE 1 — NOW
1
Interim aggregation
Aggregate and consolidate lithium ore from established local and artisanal producers in and around Ekiti.
Delivers
Early revenue and a proven supply base, anchored by an offtake or export partner.
PHASE 2 — NEXT
2
Securing title
Convert local relationships into formal exploration and mining title over target ground in Ekiti.
Delivers
A licensed, secured asset that forms the foundation for scaled, compliant production.
PHASE 3 — SCALE
3
Develop and add value
With a foreign technical and financing partner, develop the licensed mine and compliant downstream processing.
Delivers
Scalable supply into global battery chains, meeting local value-addition rules.
The partnership opportunity
Azure is seeking two complementary partners.
Either conversation can begin independently there is no requirement to bring both.
1
Offtake & export partner
A buyer with the licences, logistics and market access to take aggregated lithium ore into export markets. This is Azure’s near-term commercial anchor, validating the supply base ahead of full development.
2
Foreign technical & financing partner
Following the grant of mining title: capital, mining and processing expertise, and access to global battery supply chains, to jointly develop a licensed mine and compliant value addition.
Begin a conversation, in confidence
Either partnership track can open independently. The first step is simply a mutual NDA.
All enquiries are treated as confidential.