Meanwhile, Chariot says it’s rapidly advancing the company’s majority interest in the Nigerian projects with joint venture partner Continental Lithium.

The 254-square-kilometre project encompasses the Fonlo, Iganna, Saki and Gbugbu lithium clusters across exploration and mining licenses in the Nigerian states of Oyo and Kwara, areas with a history of artisanal lithium extraction.

Chariot says the collaboration with Fujian Jinjianqiao builds on its dual-track approach in Nigeria, combining early small-scale mining for cash flow with broader exploration to establish JORC-compliant resources.

Recent first-pass exploration threw up some highly promising rock chip assays up to a whopping 5.96 per cent lithium oxide, which explains the rapidly growing interest from Chinese partners in Nigeria’s untapped pegmatite belts.

Management says the partnership interest further underscores Nigeria’s role in the global lithium supply chain, connecting Chariot’s near-surface pegmatite projects with hefty downstream battery demand.

While the new deal could unlock funding and offtake certainty in Nigeria, Chariot continues to push hard on its US growth front, advancing the company’s hard-rock Black Mountain lithium project in Wyoming alongside the claystone-hosted Resurgent project straddling the Nevada–Oregon border.

With multiple Chinese engagements now in play, 2026 appears to be emerging as a key period for Chariot’s African lithium aspirations.

Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au