Dele Alake
PicNews
The Federal Government of Nigeria has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses due to non-payment of annual service fees, comprising 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases. This move aims to reform and sanitize the mining sector by eliminating speculators and ensuring only serious investors operate in the industry.
The revocation was approved by Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, based on the recommendation of the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), which identified 1,957 defaulters and published the intention to revoke licenses in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025. Licensees were given 30 days to comply, but those who failed to pay were subsequently revoked.
This move brings the total number of mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3,794, including 619 titles revoked for non-payment of annual fees and 912 for dormancy last year. The revocation aims to eliminate speculators, encourage due diligence, and create opportunities for fresh applications from committed investors.
Alake emphasized that the era of obtaining licenses and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder is over. The list of defaulters will be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovery or prosecution, as revocation does not absolve license holders from their financial obligations.
The revocation will create opportunities for new investors, as the affected licenses will be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System, opening up areas for fresh applications. Applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector will make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
