Federal Government revokes 1,263 mineral licenses over non-payment of mandatory service fees.
Officials say the move aims to curb speculation, recover debts and attract genuine investors to mining.
The Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses after operators failed to pay their mandatory annual service fees, in a sweeping move aimed at sanitizing Nigeria’s mining sector.
According to a statement by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the affected titles include: 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, 470 small-scale mining leases.
The licenses will be deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral Office (MCO) portal, opening up the sites for fresh applications by prospective investors.
Approving the recommendation from the MCO, Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake stressed that the government would no longer tolerate speculators hoarding mining licenses.
“The era of obtaining licenses and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder while industrious businessmen are denied access is over,” Alake declared. “The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are serious about mining. If you are no longer interested, the law allows you to return the license.”
He added that while licenses have been revoked, the debts owed are not forgiven. The list of defaulters will be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for recovery.
The Director-General of the MCO, Simon Nkom, revealed that 1,957 defaulters were initially flagged when the intention to revoke was published in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
Licensees were given 30 days to comply in line with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007.
Nkom explained that some delays occurred due to the reconciliation of payments by operators who claimed to have remitted fees through Remita.
The latest action brings the total mineral titles revoked under the Tinubu administration to 3,794, including 619 titles revoked last year for non-payment of fees and 912 licenses withdrawn for dormancy.
The Ministry said the measures are part of ongoing reforms to attract genuine investors, discourage speculative activities, and restore order in the mining sector.
Despite resistance from some defaulters, the government insists the reforms are yielding positive results and will strengthen Nigeria’s solid minerals industry as a key revenue driver.
