Mineral Resources in Nigeria: Full List of All 36 States & Their Locations (Updated)

Nigeria is often described as a country “flowing with milk and honey”—and when it comes to natural wealth, that statement is absolutely true. Beyond crude oil, Nigeria is blessed with over 40 commercially viable mineral resources, scattered across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

These resources—if fully harnessed—can generate massive revenue, create jobs, boost industrialization, and significantly reduce overdependence on oil.

This updated guide provides a complete list of mineral resources in Nigeria, their locations, and the states where they can be found, arranged clearly for easy reading.

Mineral resources in Nigeria include over 40 commercially viable deposits such as gold, limestone, coal, bitumen, iron ore, barytes, lead-zinc, gemstones, clay, and crude oil. These minerals are spread across all 36 states and the FCT, with states like Kogi, Kaduna, Plateau, Nasarawa, and Ogun having some of the highest concentrations. Nigeria’s major mineral belts include gold in Zamfara, limestone in Kogi, coal in Enugu, bitumen in Ondo, and gemstones in Kaduna.

Why Mineral Resources Matter in Nigeria

Nigeria’s mineral deposits are valuable for several reasons:

• They support economic diversification, reducing reliance on crude oil.
• They promote industrial development (cement, ceramics, steel, glass, etc.).
• They attract foreign investment.
• They provide employment opportunities.
• They boost state and federal revenue.

From gold to limestone, coal, bitumen, gemstones, and uranium, Nigeria has minerals that many countries depend on for industrial growth.

Complete List of Mineral Resources in Nigeria and Their Locations

FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY (ABUJA)

Notable mineral resources in Abuja include:

• Marble
• Tantalite
• Clay
• Cassiterite
• Gold
• Lead & Zinc
• Dolomite

Abuja’s mineral belt especially around Bwari, Kuje, and Kwali has commercial deposits.

ABIA STATE

Mineral deposits found here include:

• Limestone
• Gold
• Salt
• Lead/Zinc
• Crude Oil

ADAMAWA STATE

Adamawa has a variety of minerals:

• Kaolin
• Bentonite
• Gypsum
• Magnesite

AKWA IBOM STATE

Resources include:

• Lead/Zinc
• Clay
• Limestone
• Uranium
• Salt
• Lignite

ANAMBRA STATE

Anambra is rich in both solid minerals and crude oil:

• Lead
• Clay
• Limestone
• Iron Ore
• Lignite
• Salt
• Glass Sand
• Phosphate
• Gypsum
• Crude Oil

BAUCHI STATE

Minerals present:

• Amethyst
• Gypsum
• Lead/Zinc
• Uranium (ongoing investigation)

BAYELSA STATE

Despite being one of Nigeria’s smallest states, Bayelsa hosts:

• Clay
• Limestone
• Gypsum
• Uranium
• Manganese
• Lignite
• Lead/Zinc
• Crude Oil

BENUE STATE

Benue is known for both farming and mining:

• Lead/Zinc
• Limestone
• Iron Ore
• Coal
• Clay
• Marble
• Salt
• Barytes
• Gemstones
• Gypsum

BORNO STATE

Located in the northeastern mineral belt:

• Diatomite
• Clay
• Limestone
• Hydrocarbon (oil/gas exploration ongoing)
• Gypsum
• Kaolin
• Bentonite

CROSS RIVER STATE

Minerals found include:

• Limestone
• Uranium
• Manganese
• Lignite
• Lead/Zinc
• Salt
• Crude Oil

DELTA STATE

Minerals found include:

• Marble
• Glass Sand
• Gypsum
• Lignite
• Iron Ore
• Kaolin
• Crude Oil

EBONYI STATE

Minerals include:

• Lead
• Gold
• Salt
• Limestone
• Zinc

Ebonyi is known for its salt lakes.

EDO STATE

One of the richest in solid minerals:

• Marble
• Lignite
• Clay
• Limestone
• Iron Ore
• Gypsum
• Glass Sand
• Gold
• Dolomite
• Phosphate
• Bitumen
• Crude Oil

EKITI STATE

Minerals include:

• Kaolin
• Feldspar
• Titanium
• Granite
• Syenite

ENUGU STATE

Known historically for coal:

• Coal
• Limestone
• Lead/Zinc

GOMBE STATE

Minerals include:

• Gemstones
• Gypsum

IMO STATE

Minerals include:

• Lead/Zinc
• Limestone
• Lignite
• Phosphate
• Marcasite
• Gypsum
• Salt
• Crude Oil

JIGAWA STATE

Minerals include:

• Barytes

KADUNA STATE

One of Nigeria’s highest gemstone producers:

• Sapphire
• Kaolin
• Gold
• Clay
• Serpentinite
• Asbestos
• Amethyst
• Kyanite
• Graphite
• Selenite
• Mica
• Aquamarine
• Ruby
• Rock Crystal
• Topaz
• Fluorite
• Tourmaline
• Gemstones
• Tantalite

KANO STATE

Minerals include:

• Copper
• Glass Sand
• Gemstones
• Lead/Zinc
• Tantalite
• Cassiterite

KATSINA STATE

Resources include:

• Kaolin
• Marble
• Salt

KEBBI STATE

Major mineral:

• Gold

KOGI STATE

One of the richest mineral states in Nigeria:

• Iron Ore
• Kaolin
• Gypsum
• Feldspar
• Coal
• Marble
• Dolomite
• Talc
• Tantalite
• Limestone (used by Dangote)

KWARA STATE

Minerals include:

• Gold
• Marble
• Iron Ore
• Cassiterite
• Columbite
• Tantalite
• Feldspar
• Mica

LAGOS STATE

Minerals include:

• Glass Sand
• Clay
• Bitumen
• Crude Oil

NASARAWA STATE

Often called “The Home of Solid Minerals”:

• Beryl
• Aquamarine
• Heliodor
• Dolomite/Marble
• Sapphire
• Tourmaline
• Quartz/Amethyst
• Zircon
• Tantalite
• Cassiterite
• Columbite
• Galena
• Iron Ore
• Barytes
• Feldspar
• Limestone
• Mica
• Coal
• Talc
• Clay
• Salt
• Chalcopyrite

NIGER STATE

Minerals include:

• Gold
• Talc
• Lead/Zinc

OGUN STATE

One of Nigeria’s major industrial mineral hubs:

• Phosphate
• Clay
• Feldspar
• Kaolin
• Limestone
• Gemstones
• Bitumen

ONDO STATE

Minerals include:

• Bitumen
• Kaolin
• Gemstones
• Gypsum
• Feldspar
• Granite
• Clay
• Glass Sand
• Dimension Stones
• Limestone
• Coal
• Crude Oil

OSUN STATE

Key minerals:

• Gold
• Talc
• Tourmaline
• Columbite
• Granite
• Gemstones

Osun is one of Nigeria’s leading gold-producing states.

OYO STATE

Minerals include:

• Kaolin
• Marble
• Clay
• Sillimanite
• Talc
• Gold
• Cassiterite
• Aquamarine
• Dolomite
• Gemstones
• Tantalite

PLATEAU STATE

One of the most mineral-rich states in Nigeria:

• Tin
• Columbite
• Emerald
• Marble
• Granite
• Barytes
• Iron Ore
• Kaolin
• Cassiterite
• Wolframite
• Coal
• Pyrochlore
• Bauxite
• Gemstones
• Salt
• Molybdenite
• Fluorite
• Lead/Zinc

RIVERS STATE

Minerals include:

• Glass Sand
• Clay
• Marble
• Lignite
• Crude Oil

SOKOTO STATE

Minerals include:

• Kaolin
• Gold
• Limestone
• Phosphate
• Gypsum
• Silica Sand
• Clay
• Potash
• Granite
• Salt

TARABA STATE

Minerals include:

• Kaolin
• Lead/Zinc
• Barytes
• Gemstones

YOBE STATE

Minerals include:

• Trona (Soda Ash)
• Tintomite

ZAMFARA STATE

Minerals include:

• Gold
• Coal
• Talc
• Copper
• Iron Ore

Zamfara is one of Nigeria’s top gold-producing states.

Read Also: Full List Of Oil Producing States In Nigeria

Conclusion

Nigeria is massively blessed with mineral resources capable of transforming the nation’s economy. With proper exploration, investment, and management, the solid mineral sector can rival crude oil and become a major driver of national development.