Nigeria is one of the naturally enriched countries in the World with large deposits of different mineral resources. Although Nigeria is more endowed with Crude Oil, many other minerals exist. The West African Nation also boasts of small deposits of Gold, Feldspar, Cotton, platinum, and other minerals. The Natural resources in Nigeria are spread across the country’s six regions. If you wondered where you could find any of these mineral resources in Nigeria, this article would help answer your questions.

Nigerian states and their Natural resources 

Nigeria has a lot of Natural resources across the country. These resources range from small to large deposits in each State. Below I will highlight the Natural resources in Nigeria across all the 36 states of the Federation. 

Abia State

Created in 1991, the southeastern State of Abia has Gold, Lead, and Salt deposits. The State is also rich in Oil/Gas.

Adamawa State

Adamawa is located towards the borders of Cameroon in the Northeast of Nigeria. The State has Natural resources such as; Bentonite, Gypsum, Kaolin, and Magnesite.

Akwa-Ibom State

Akwa-Ibom was created from Cross river state in 1987. The State is located in the South-South region of Nigeria, making it one of the Oil-rich states. Other mineral resources in the State include; Limestone, Salt, Lead/Zinc, and Uranium.

Anambra State

Anambra has a long list of Natural resources present in the State. They include; Limestone, Salt, Gypsum, Zinc, Lignite, Iron ore, and Phosphate. 

Bauchi State

The Northeastern State has small deposits of many natural resources. Some of these resources include; Lignite, Uranium, Limestone, Coal, Tin, Iron ore, and clay.

Bayelsa State

Like most states in the South-south region, Bayelsa is also an oil-rich state and has large deposits of Crude. It is also one of the oil-producing states in Nigeria. Bayelsa also has Lignite, Manganese, Uranium, Gypsum, and Limestone deposits.

Benue State

Benue state has a long list of natural resources present in deposits. They are; Barite, Clay, Lignite, Marble, Salt, Iron ore, Gemstone, Coal, and Limestone.

Borno State

The Northeast eastern state of Borno was created in 1976 and also has many natural resources in deposits. Borno has Kaolin, Limestone, Gypsum, Clay, Bentonite, Limestone, Hydro-carbon, etc.

Cross River State

Cross river state has a list of natural resources. They Include; Oil/Gas, Lignite, Uranium, Salt, Limestone, and Manganese.

Delta State

The south-south region of Delta has deposits of nine different natural resources. Oil and Gas, Kaolin, Iron ore, Marble, Lignite, Gypsum, Clay, and Glass-sand.

Ebonyi State

Ebonyi state has deposits of Gold, Lead/Zinc, and Salt. 

Edo State

Edo state is known to be rich in many different solid minerals. They include Clay, Dolomite, Bitumen, Limestone, Iron ore, Gold, Gypsum, Marble, Oil, and Gas.

Ekiti State

Located in the Southwestern region of Nigeria, Ekiti has deposits of some minerals. These resources are also available in commercial quantities. They include; Feldspar, Granite, Kaolin, Syenite, and Tatum.

Enugu State

Enugu is located in a hilly region of Southeast Nigeria. Popularly known as ‘Coal City,’ Enugu is rich in Coal, Lead, and Limestone. 

Gombe State

Gombe was created in 1996 from Bauchi State. The State has a deposit of Gemstone.

Imo State

Imo is rich in a lot of Solid minerals. They include; Gypsum, Limestone, Marcasite, Phosphate, Salt, etc. 

Kaduna State

Kaduna is said to have one of the highest numbers of solid minerals in Nigeria. The State has over 20 natural resources in deposits. Some of the natural resources present in Kaduna state include; Aquamarine, Asbestos, Rock crystals, granite, Ruby, Sapphire, Topaz, Tourmaline, etc.

Kano State

Kano is one of the oldest states in Nigeria. It was created in 1967. Kano has solid mineral deposits of Copper, Gemstone, Tantalite, Glass-sand, and Lead.

Katsina State

Katsina state has deposits of only Kaolin, Marble, and Salt.

Kebbi State

Kebbi State has the least number of mineral resources in the country. It only has deposits of Gold.

Kogi State

In Kogi State, you can find Kaolin, Feldspar, Gold, Iron ore, Mica, Marble, Talc, and Tantalite.

Kwara State

Kwara has Cassiterite, Feldspar, Gold, Iron ore, Marble, Tantalite, Mica, and Columbite.

Lagos State

Lagos has deposits of Bitumen, Clay, and Glass-sand. Although Lagos is the wealthiest State, the State has one of the least natural resources in Nigeria.

Nasarawa State

Nasarawa has one of the highest mineral resources in the country. These resources include Amethyst, Barytex, Barite, Feldspar, Talc, Dolomite, Marble, and many others.

Niger State

Niger was created in 1976 from the North-western State. It has only three natural resources, one of the least in Nigeria. Gold, Lead, and Talc.

Ogun State

In Ogun State, you can find Kaolin, Limestone, Feldspar, Bitumen, Phosphate, and Gemstone.

Ondo State

Ondo state is rich in different types of solid minerals. They include; Bitumen, Clay, Dimension stones, Feldspar, Gemstone, Limestone, Oil, Glass-sand, Granite, and Coal.

Osun State

Osun has solid minerals like Columbite, Gold, Granite, Talc, Tantalite, and Tourmaline. 

Oyo State

Oyo State has Cassiterite, Aquamarine, Gemstone, Gold, Kaolin, Talc, Tantalite, etc.

Plateau State

Plateau state has the highest natural resources in the country. The State is deposited with 23 mineral resources. Some of these minerals include; Salt, Bentonite, Barite, Fluorite, Marble, Tin, Iron ore, Granite, Gemstone, and other minerals. 

Rivers State

Rivers State is one of the oil-rich states in Nigeria. Other mineral resources in the State include; Marble, Lignite, and Clay.

Sokoto State

The Northern State of Sokoto has Gypsum, Granite, Kaolin, Limestone, Clay, Potash, Salt, among others.

Yobe State

Yobe has two mineral resources in deposits. They are Soda Ash and Tintomite. 

Zamfara State

Zamfara State has deposits of Gold, Cotton, and Coal. 

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja

The capital city of Nigeria also has some deposits of natural resources. These natural resources include; Dolomite, Clay, Cassiterite, Marble, Tantalite, Gold, Lead, and Zinc.

These are the natural resources in Nigeria across all 36 states. These minerals provide economic importance one way or the other to Nigeria. 

Nigeria is an oil-producing country, and abundant Oil in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. 

However, the other minerals present across Nigeria also have their significant importance. In the next section, I will talk about the uses of some of the minerals present in Nigeria.

Top 10 Natural Resources in Nigeria and their Uses

Each of the natural resources we have listed from the states in Nigeria all has its importance. Below are the top mineral resources in Nigeria and their uses.

1. Oil/Gas

Oil and Gas is the primary source of sustenance for the Nigerian economy. It finds a lot of meaningful use in the industries and refineries. They include;

• Oil and Gas can be used for making fuels, Hydro-carbon gas liquids, Propane petrol, Kerosene, etc.
• They are also used for heating oil.

Oil/Gas is Nigeria’s most valuable natural resource. In Nigeria, Oil/Gas is available in Abia, Akwa-Ibom, Imo, Edo, Cross River, and Ondo. They are also available in commercial quantities in Rivers and Bayelsa states. 

2. Gold

Gold is one of the most in-demand natural resources in the World. It has so many uses, including making jewelry, Glassmaking, Aerospace, producing medals, etc. It is also a costly asset across the globe. 

Gold is found in Kebbi, Kaduna, Niger, and some other parts of Nigeria.

3. Bitumen

Nigeria has a large deposit of Bitumen. The West African Nation has the second largest deposit of this mineral in the World. Bitumen has a lot of uses in engineering and construction. The following are some of the importance of Bitumen;

• Roofing and Soundproofing
• Bitumen is very important in constructing roads and railways.
• They are also used for making Shoe soles.
• Bitumen can be used as an agent in disinfectant chemicals.

There are many other uses of these natural resources across Nigeria and the World. In Nigeria, you can find Bitumen in Edo, Lagos, Ogun, and Ondo states.

4. Coal

Coal is one of the minerals that Nigeria has in good quantity. Coal has different uses as it contains elements such as Carbon, Hydrogen, and Sulphur. This mineral is significant in generating electricity, Cement manufacturing, and steel production. Coal also finds its relevance in domestic activities like cooking.

Coal is primarily found in the Enugu state. There are deposits in Benue, Bauchi, Nasarawa, and the Plateau States.

5. Limestone

This solid mineral is an essential resource in Nigeria as it is vital in construction. Limestone is used for the following purposes;

• Construction of concrete buildings
• Cement production
• Industries and Agriculture

This mineral is mostly Calcium Carbonate, and you can find them in Benue, Bauchi, Akwa-Ibom, Sokoto, and a few other states in Nigeria.

6. Tin 

Tin is a metallic element with a lot of industrial relevance and importance.
Some of the uses of Tin include;

• Soldering
• Tin-plating
• Tin is used to power Lead-Acid batteries

You can find Tin mostly in the Bauchi and Plateau states of Nigeria.

7. Salt 

Salt is one of the most vital components of an element that the human body needs. It contains Sodium Chloride and has a lot of importance in various areas across the World. The uses of this element include the following;

• Production of Chlorine and Sodium hydroxide 
• Food preservation and flavoring
• Production of plastics
•  Manufacturing of Paper pulp.

Salt is available in different parts of Nigeria, including; Benue, Plateau, Cross River, Katsina, Nassarawa, Sokoto, Imo, Abia, and Akwa-Ibom.

8. Uranium

Uranium is an element that has massive importance in radioactivity and electrical power. This element is present in Bauchi, Kano, Plateau, Taraba, Cross River, and other Nigerian states. Below are some of the uses of Uranium.

• Uranium can be used as smoke detectors
• Generation of power
• Medical uses
• They are used for Nuclear power plants

9. Clay

Clay helps make different materials. They are found in a lot of states across Nigeria. Some of the uses of clay are;

• Clay is used for making pots.
• Clay is also vital in the making of bricks.

10. Gypsum

Gypsum is an element that belongs to the sulfate family. It also has various uses in different areas of life. The benefits of Gypsum include the following;

• Gypsum is used as an additive to food and turbid water
• Production of cement
• Making blocks
• They are also used in toothpaste. 

You can find Gypsum in Anambra, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Edo, Gombe, Delta, Imo, and Sokoto states.

Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

How much Oil does Nigeria have?

Nigeria is one of the largest oil-producing nations in the World. 9% of Nigeria’s GDP comes from Crude Oil. The West African country produces 2.5 million barrels of oil per day.

How much Coal does Enugu have?

Enugu has the largest deposit of Coal in Nigeria. The Northeastern State has about 3 billion tons of Coal. 

Which country in Nigeria has the highest deposit of natural resources.

The 36 states of the Federation have many mineral resources. From Oil to Coal, Limestone, salts, and other minerals. However, Plateau state has the highest mineral deposits in Nigeria than any other state. The North-central State has about 23 different mineral resources.

Conclusion

The natural resources in Nigeria are located across all the states. Although Nigeria is known for high oil production, other mineral resources are present. These minerals are present in large and small quantities. 

With Oil mainly in the southern part of Nigeria, recent discoveries have also seen deposits of Crude in the North. 

So, I believe you know the mineral resources in Nigeria and their locations.

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Originally posted 2022-01-01 16:52:10.