The Federal Government has announced the revocation of 1,263 mineral titles over failure by operators to comply with statutory obligations guiding Nigeria’s mining sector.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed the decision on Monday, stating that the affected licences were withdrawn after a thorough review of compliance records.
According to the minister, the revoked titles cut across exploration, quarrying, small-scale mining, and mining leases that had either expired, remained inactive, or defaulted in meeting operational and financial commitments.
Dr. Alake stressed that the move was part of ongoing reforms to sanitize the solid minerals sector, strengthen transparency, and ensure only credible investors with proven capacity participate in the industry.
He further revealed that defaulters whose activities suggested possible economic sabotage or deliberate evasion of statutory payments would be referred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation and possible prosecution.
“The era of speculators holding on to licences without adding value to the economy is over. We are determined to reposition the sector to contribute meaningfully to national revenue, create jobs, and attract genuine investment,” Alake said.
The minister assured that government would reallocate the revoked licences to serious investors through transparent processes, adding that the reforms would help unlock Nigeria’s vast mineral potential and reduce dependence on crude oil revenues.
The revocation underscores renewed efforts by the administration to enforce compliance in the extractive sector, where underutilisation of licences and illegal practices have slowed growth for decades.
