The Ministry of Solid Minerals has made efforts to attract investors to explore lithium deposits in the country.

This was according to a statement by the Ministrys Deputy Director of Information, Alaba Balogun.

At the exhibition booth of the Ministry of Solid Minerals at the Pan Pacific Hotel during the 21^stAfrica Down Under Conference in Perth, Australia, the statement disclosed that investors showed interest in the countrys minerals.

The statement read, Presenting a robust case for investment in the countrys mining industry, Alake had highlighted plans to set up the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation as the interface between the global mining industry and Nigeria adding that the laws permit investors to take profits out.

He said a major plan to show the governments readiness to assist investors is the massive investment into geoscientic investigation of the countrys minerals, their grade, and quantum to enable investors to project with greater certainty the costs of their investments and the profits they can make.

Following the prospect of the extensive occurrence of lithium in Nigeria, the battery minerals making waves in the automobile industries, Alake said the progress made by investors such as Basin Limited in their Jupiter project, mining lithium in the North, and Lithium King investments in the South West confirm reports of Nigeria as the most profitable destination for the precious mineral.

The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, also assured investors of safety, reiterating that the government has given illegal miners 30 days to join co-operatives in addition to plans to deploy surveillance task force and mine police to combat criminals at the mines.

He was quoted as saying, Nigeria is open for business and with our ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector I can assure every investor that comes to our country of conducive operating environment and good returns on their investments. (The PUNCH)