FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses for Annual Service Fee Defaulters

-Special Report-

FG Revokes 1,263 Mineral Licenses Over Annual Service Fee Defaults

In a sweeping move to sanitize Nigeria’s mining sector, the Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses due to non-compliance with annual service fee obligations.

This decisive action, announced by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, marks a significant milestone in the Tinubu administration’s ongoing reforms aimed at curbing speculative practices and fostering genuine investment in the solid minerals industry.

The revoked licenses span a wide array of mineral titles: 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases. These titles will be permanently deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (eMC+), the digital registry operated by the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office (MCO). By releasing these previously held areas, the government intends to attract fresh applications from serious investors, thereby reinvigorating the sector with new opportunities.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, approved the revocation following recommendations from the MCO. He emphasized that the enforcement of the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 is crucial to discourage speculative hoarding of licenses and to ensure that only committed stakeholders participate in the sector. Alake decried the practice of acquiring licenses merely to hold them for resale, stating, “The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites is over.”

The minister clarified that the revocation does not absolve the affected license holders of their financial obligations. In fact, the list of defaulters is being forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovery and enforcement. This step underscores the government’s resolve to ensure accountability and due diligence in the mining license application process.

The Director-General of the MCO, Engr. Simon Nkom, provided further context, revealing that the revocation process began with a notice published in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025. Initially, 1,957 licenses were flagged for default, and licensees were given a 30-day window to comply. The final tally of 1,263 revocations followed a thorough reconciliation process, including verification of payments made via the Remita platform.

This latest action brings the total number of mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3,794. This figure includes 619 licenses revoked last year for similar fee defaults and 912 for dormancy.

Despite resistance from defaulters and their agents, the Ministry asserts that the reforms are yielding positive results, positioning the mining sector as a key driver of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.