ABUJA, NIGERIA — In a decisive move to sanitise Nigeria’s solid minerals sector and enforce compliance with operational guidelines, the Federal Government has announced plans to revoke an additional 1,000 dormant mining licences. This comes on the heels of a similar action in 2024, where 900 non-performing licences were withdrawn by the authorities for failure to meet statutory obligations.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, who disclosed this development in Abuja, stated that the decision aligns with the government’s renewed commitment to reposition the mining sector as a critical component of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda. He explained that the licences targeted for cancellation have remained inactive for years, with no tangible evidence of exploration or production activities, thereby denying the country potential revenue and development benefits.
According to the Minister, the sweeping clean-up is necessary to eliminate speculative hoarding of mineral titles by individuals and companies who secure licences but refuse to operationalise them. Dr. Alake emphasised that such practices hinder genuine investors from accessing viable mining sites, creating bottlenecks in a sector that has the potential to rival oil in revenue generation.
Information obtained by KIIN360 reveals that the Ministry has already compiled a comprehensive list of affected licences, following a rigorous audit and verification process. Stakeholders in the industry have been duly informed, and due process is being followed to ensure that all revocations are carried out within the bounds of existing mining laws and regulations.
Dr. Alake reiterated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration is determined to create a more transparent and investor-friendly environment in the solid minerals space. He pointed out that active operators who comply with the conditions of their licences have nothing to fear, but stressed that the era of speculators clogging the system is over.
The Ministry is also reportedly putting in place a reallocation framework to ensure that all revoked licences are reassigned to credible investors with the technical and financial capacity to develop mining assets responsibly. This measure is expected to stimulate job creation, improve foreign exchange earnings, and enhance Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global mining value chain.
As Nigeria looks to reduce its dependence on crude oil and harness its vast natural resource endowments—including gold, lithium, and other critical minerals—Dr. Alake reaffirmed that only serious players with a clear operational roadmap will be allowed to participate in the sector going forward.
FG to Cancel 1,000 Inactive Mining Licences as Crackdown on Sector Non-Compliance Intensifies
