Nigerian billionaire Benedict Peters eyes lithium deposit in Zimbabwe

Nigerian billionaire and philanthropist Benedict Peters is reportedly considering entering the lithium mining sector in Zimbabwe.

Peters, 56, made headlines in 2019 when he embarked on a platinum mining venture in Zimbabwe through his mining company, Bravura Holdings Ltd.

The company acquired a 3,000-hectare (7,413-acre) concession and had plans to establish a mine in Selous, located 80 kilometers (50 miles) south of Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital, and in close proximity to existing platinum mines.

However, a report by Africa Intelligence suggests that Peters’ initial enthusiasm for the platinum mine development project in the Maflox Claims area of Selous has waned since his arrival in Zimbabwe in 2019, shortly before Emmerson Mnangagwa’s election.

It appears that Peters’ local company, Bravura, has failed to comply with regulatory requirements and fulfill its commitments to invest, leading to a shift in focus. Instead, the company has discreetly turned its attention to a lithium deposit in Kamativi, a small mining town in Matabeleland North province, Zimbabwe.

Peters, one of Nigeria’s wealthiest individuals, is the owner of Aiteo Eastern E & P Company Ltd., Nigeria’s largest domestic oil producer.

In addition to his oil business, Peters has diversified into the mining sector through his mining firm, Bravura Holdings Ltd.

The company holds concessions for cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo, copper mining in Zambia, and gold mining in Ghana.