The Nigerian government has revoked 1,263 mineral licences after operators failed to pay annual service fees, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said Sunday.
Minister Dele Alake approved the action on the recommendation of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (MCO). The affected titles include 584 exploration licences, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licences, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
Alake said the move is part of reforms to sanitize the sector and discourage speculators. “The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder is over,” he said.
The revoked titles will be deleted from the electronic cadastre portal, freeing the sites for fresh applications. The list of defaulters will also be sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for debt recovery.
According to MCO, nearly 2,000 operators were warned in June through a government gazette. Since 2023, the government has revoked almost 3,800 licences for non-payment or inactivity.
