The Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses across Nigeria in a sweeping move to sanitise the solid minerals sector and enforce compliance with existing laws. The announcement was made on Sunday in Abuja by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, through his media aide, Segun Tomori.
According to the ministry, the revoked titles include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases. The affected licenses will now be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office (MCO).
Alake explained that the decision followed recommendations from the MCO after license holders failed to pay their mandatory annual service fees. He stressed that the revocation is part of efforts to eliminate speculators and encourage serious investors, noting that payment of the annual fee is the minimum evidence of seriousness in mining operations.
The minister added that the revocation does not cancel debts owed by defaulting firms. Instead, their names will be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovery and possible prosecution. He warned that the era of obtaining licenses and hoarding them for speculative purposes is over.
With the latest action, the Tinubu administration has revoked 3,794 mineral titles since taking office, including 619 titles revoked last year for non-payment of fees and 912 licenses withdrawn due to inactivity. Officials say the clean-up has already begun to attract new applications and boost investor confidence in the sector.
Providing details of the process, MCO Director-General Simon Nkom said 1,957 licensees were initially listed as defaulters in the Federal Government Gazette of June 19, 2025. Only those unable to provide verifiable proof of payment were finally revoked. He described the exercise as critical to restoring confidence and ensuring that Nigeria’s mining sector contributes meaningfully to economic diversification.
