Among the dusty bushes of Pasali, in north-central Nigeria, a harrowing scene unfolds every day: children bent over piles of rocks, with flayed hands and rudimentary tools, search for fragments of lithium – the precious “white gold” that fuels our modern world. Some are as young as five years old. They work in extreme conditions, contributing to a supply chain that it starts from the poorest rural areas and reaches the technology multinationals.
This metal, fundamental for the lithium ion batteries that we find in smartphones, electric vehicles and computersis the beating heart of the global ecological transition. But what looks like progress for the world is a spiral of suffering for those living in Nigeria’s mining regions.
The dark side of lithium: do you really know what lies behind its extraction?
Lithium mining in Nigeria is often illegal and poorly regulated. The workers – men, women and children – descend deep, facing narrow and unstable tunnels. Dynamite, smuggled in to open new deposits, shakes the ground, increasing the risk of landslides. Abdullahi Sabiua miner with years of experience, tells Euro News: “I know the dangers, but I have no choice. This job is my only hope of survival.”
This “only hope” is shared by many local families, driven by extreme poverty. Children work to sort and bag lithium rocks, a grueling task that keeps them away from school. Many, like Zakaria Danladi And Juliet Samaniyahave abandoned education to help support their families.
The long shadow of multinationals
Lithium mined in Nigeria follows a dark path, fueling a global market dominated by Chinese companies that buy minerals from unauthorized mines. These conglomerates are often accused of labor exploitation and destructive environmental practices. The local merchant Aliyu Ibrahim he candidly admits that he uses children for his operations: “Many are orphans or live in extreme poverty. They have no alternatives.”
This statement, as chilling as it is enlightening, highlights the complexity of the problem: a network of buyers and sellers operating without adequate government oversight, fueling a deeply unjust system. Nigerian authorities have attempted to counter illegal activities with arrests and prosecutions, but the problem persists, rooted in endemic poverty and corruption.
Lithium is celebrated as a crucial element for a sustainable future. Thanks to its ability to store large amounts of energyis the main component of lithium-ion batteries, which power electric vehicles and energy storage systems. But the human and ecological cost of extraction is high.
Lithium production requires enormous amounts of energy and, in the case of brine fields, consumes precious water resources in already arid areas. In Nigeria, the situation is further aggravated by the lack of regulation and inhumane working conditions. “Without batteries, we will not have a green future,” says critical raw materials expert Benjamin Sprecher. But at what cost?
In Europe, for example, there are unexploited lithium deposits that could reduce dependence on countries where extraction is ethically controversial. However, as Sprecher points out, the economic and bureaucratic costs make it difficult to compete with producers from the South of the world.
The story of children in Nigerian lithium mines is a warning. The transition to a green future cannot be built on the suffering of those who are most vulnerable. Change is possible, but it requires a collective commitment to an ethics that puts people at the center, not just profit.
