The Federal Government has revoked 1,263 mineral licenses due to non-payment of annual service fees. These licenses, which include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases, will be removed from the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office’s (MCO) Electronic Mining Cadastral system, following the revocation.
This decision was disclosed in a statement by Segun Tomori, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.
The revocation is expected to open up previously licensed areas, creating new opportunities for investors. The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development expressed hope that this move would encourage fresh applications from serious investors looking for viable mining prospects.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, who approved the revocations based on MCO’s recommendation, stated that the action would help weed out speculators and non-serious investors from the mining sector, paving the way for more diligent investors.
“The era of hoarding licenses for resale to the highest bidder is over,” Alake said. “The annual service fee is the minimum evidence of interest in mining. If you change your mind, the law allows you to return the license rather than wait for us to revoke it.”
Alake further emphasized that the revocation did not absolve license holders of their outstanding service fees.
EFCC to probe defaulters
The Minister added that the list of defaulters would be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for further investigation. The government is committed to ensuring that licensees pay their debts or face legal consequences.
“This move aims to reinforce due diligence and highlight the consequences of speculative activities in the license application process,” Alake explained.
Simon Nkom, Director-General of the MCO, reported that there were initially 1,957 defaulters when the MCO first published its intent to revoke licenses in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025. Nkom explained that the delay in finalizing the revocation was due to complaints from some licensees who claimed to have made payments via Remita, necessitating reconciliation efforts.
This latest revocation brings the total number of mineral titles revoked under the current administration to 3,794. Of these, 619 were revoked for failing to pay service fees, and 912 were revoked last year due to dormancy.
The Ministry emphasized that these actions are part of ongoing reforms aimed at sanitizing the mining sector, a key initiative since the administration of President Bola Tinubu. Despite resistance from defaulters and their agents, the government remains steadfast in its commitment to restructuring the sector for long-term growth.
