The EFCC has arrested 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian over alleged illegal lithium processing at four facilities in Ogun State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian over alleged illegal lithium processing activities at four facilities in Ogere, Ogun State.
The commission disclosed this in a statement on Monday, October 26, 2026, saying the arrests followed intelligence gathering and surveillance operations targeting suspected unauthorised lithium processing in the area.
According to the EFCC, operatives attached to its Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 carried out raids at the four facilities on Friday, October 23, where the suspects were allegedly processing lithium without the required authorisation.
The commission said investigators recovered several bags containing lithium-bearing rocks, 18 mobile phones, four laptops, two decoders, a television remote control and a trailer truck during the operation.
“Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested 14 Chinese and one Nigerian at four illegal lithium processing plants in the Ogere area of Ogun State,” the commission stated.
The EFCC said investigations were ongoing, adding that the suspects would be prosecuted upon the completion of the necessary inquiries.
The arrests come amid the Federal Government’s efforts to curb illegal mining and unauthorised mineral processing, as authorities intensify enforcement against individuals and financiers linked to unlawful mineral extraction.
In July 2026, federal authorities shut down an alleged illegal gold mining site at Ileki-Ijesa along the Ile-Ife–Ilesa Road in Osun State and arrested two suspected miners. The government said the suspects were assisting investigators in identifying those financing the operations.
In May 2025, the Federal High Court in Jos ordered the deportation of four Chinese nationals following their conviction for illegal dealings in solid minerals. The court also ordered the forfeiture of approximately N134.9 million linked to the activities to the Federal Government.
In July 2025, the EFCC also arrested seven Chinese nationals and four Nigerians at two mining locations in Eastern Obolo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State over alleged unlicensed extraction of ilmenite, commonly known as black sand.
Meanwhile, lithium has become increasingly important to Nigeria’s solid minerals sector because of its use in rechargeable batteries for electric vehicles, renewable energy storage systems and electronic devices.
The Federal Government has estimated Nigeria’s mineral resources at about $700 billion, while a June 2026 report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development projected that global lithium demand would increase by 353 per cent between 2024 and 2040.
In September 2026, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, and United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau signed a cooperation framework covering geological information sharing, mineral exploration, processing, infrastructure development and technical expertise.
The government also inaugurated a $250 million lithium processing facility in Nasarawa State in July 2026. Developed by Chinese-owned Diamond New Energy in partnership with the state government, the facility is designed to process 6,000 metric tonnes of lithium ore daily, supporting efforts to expand domestic mineral processing.