The Federal Government of Nigeria says it has uncovered an alleged attempt by an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, to mount what it described as a “campaign of calumny” against the country during the planned state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom.
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the alleged campaign was aimed at discrediting the government’s ongoing reforms in the mining sector and misleading the international community about the revocation of certain mineral licences.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the ministry dismissed as false claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard.
Tomori said the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as “Jupiter Lithium,” noting that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act prohibits foreign companies from directly holding mineral titles.
According to the ministry, the dispute stems from the revocation of mineral licences belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian firm linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.
The government said the licences were withdrawn after the company failed to meet statutory financial obligations, including the payment of annual service fees.
Tomori said Basin Mining Ltd owed N2.494 billion in service fees for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years, covering mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML.
“The revocation was carried out after due notice was served on the company in line with extant laws governing defaults in the payment of annual service fees,” he said.
The ministry also rejected claims that the licences were reassigned to a Chinese company, describing the allegation as a fabrication intended to mislead the public and the international community.
Officials further alleged that Davis had interests in multiple mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
According to the government, such arrangements are often used by speculators to acquire mineral titles without undertaking actual mining operations, contributing to dormant licences and illegal mining activities.
The ministry said the administration of President Tinubu remained determined to enforce mining regulations as part of broader reforms aimed at repositioning the sector as a major contributor to the economy.
“Nigeria remains open to serious investors who are willing to operate within the framework of our laws and regulations,” Tomori said, adding that the government would not be intimidated or blackmailed into reversing reforms designed to improve transparency and investor confidence.
Nigeria has intensified efforts in recent years to develop its solid mineral resources including lithium, gold, iron ore and rare earth elements as part of a strategy to diversify the economy away from crude oil.
The country’s lithium deposits have attracted growing global interest because of their role in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage technologies.
Meanwhile, President Tinubu is scheduled to embark on a state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, at the invitation of King Charles III.
The Nigerian leader is expected to be hosted at Windsor Castle, with talks focusing on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties, including cooperation in trade, investment, security and migration.
The visit will mark the first state visit by a Nigerian president to the UK in 37 years.
