At an open-cast mine in central Nigeria, Abdullahi Ibrahim Danjija carefully chisels at a whitish rock, filling sacks with lithium ore.
Working tirelessly, he manages to gather three 50-kilogram bags daily, earning around 150,000 nairas ($100), double Nigeria’s monthly minimum wage.
Three years ago, the 31-year-old left Kano, lured by the promise of fortune in Nasarawa’s rapidly expanding artisanal lithium mining sector.
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At Gidan Kwano, a nearby mining site, a group of workers barred journalists from entering, fiercely guarding their underground operations.
Women and children assisted in laying explosives to break apart lithium-rich rock, their hands shaping the future of an unregulated industry.
Without official permits, many small-scale miners fear exposure, yet their operations form the backbone of Nigeria’s burgeoning lithium trade.
Even licensed miners often neglect safety and environmental regulations, fueling concerns over reckless exploitation of the mineral-rich land.
Along Nasarawa’s main road, empty houses serve as makeshift warehouses, where miners clean and sort lithium before it reaches buyers.
A vendor, Matthew Danbala, crouched over piles of rock as children mimicked his every move, eager to take part in the trade.
“We are happy. Since lithium arrived, everyone benefits—women, children, anyone who can dig and sell,” Danbala told AFP.