Russia and Nigeria have agreed to construct a gold refinery in Minna, Niger State, in partnership with Russian company MKAO Areal, according to the Russian Trade Representation.

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 3rd Russia-Africa Summit. The project is expected to formalise gold mining and bring extraction out of the informal sector, increase revenue for federal and state governments, and create new employment opportunities.

The Russian Trade Representation announced the deal but did not disclose the refinery's planned capacity, investment value, construction timeline or the specific roles of the Nigerian federal and Niger State governments. Further details of the agreement were not immediately available.

The 3rd Russia-Africa Summit is being held as Moscow seeks to deepen economic and political ties with African countries. The refinery agreement adds to a growing list of Russian commercial engagements on the continent, though the scale of Russia's investment in Nigeria's mining sector remains small compared with that of China, which has committed approximately $1.3 billion to Nigeria's lithium processing industry.

Nigeria has been trying to develop its gold sector through formalisation, local processing and stronger regulation. The Federal Government has said it wants to move away from exporting raw minerals and capture more value domestically. Niger State has significant gold deposits, but much of the mining is artisanal and informal, with illegal operations and smuggling posing persistent challenges.

The Minna refinery, if built, would be one of the country's few gold processing facilities. It follows earlier refinery plans in other states, including a proposed facility in Abuja and a gold refinery project in Lagos, though the status of those initiatives has not been publicly updated.

The signing of the agreement does not guarantee construction will proceed. Project feasibility, financing, licensing and environmental approvals will need to be completed. The Russian Trade Representation did not provide a timeline for those steps.