The Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses across Nigeria in a major crackdown on non-compliant operators in the solid minerals sector. Announced on Sunday in Abuja by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, the move aims to enforce compliance with existing laws and remove dormant or speculative titles that hinder genuine investment.
The affected licenses include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases, all of which will be removed from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal. According to Dr. Alake, the revocation followed recommendations from the Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) after license holders failed to pay their mandatory annual service fees, a key indicator of seriousness in the mining industry.
“The era of keeping licenses in drawers for speculative purposes is over,” Dr. Alake stated. He emphasized that financially capable and industrious investors should be given priority access to mining sites, while those no longer interested in active mining can return their licenses voluntarily. The minister added that debts owed by defaulting companies will be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovery and potential prosecution.
The revocation is part of a broader effort under the Tinubu administration to clean up the sector. Since taking office, the government has cancelled a total of 3,794 mineral titles, including licenses revoked for dormancy and non-payment of service fees. Officials say that opening up areas previously tied to inactive licenses will attract new applications and stimulate fresh investments in the mining industry.
Simon Nkom, Director-General of the MCO, explained that the revocation list was finalized after reconciling payments from some licensees who claimed to have paid via the Treasury Single Account (TSA). He reiterated that the exercise is not punitive but necessary to create transparency, ensure law enforcement, and restore confidence in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, a key component of the country’s economic diversification strategy.
source: punch