The federal government has withdraw 1,263 mineral licenses held by operators who did not pay their annual service fees, as announced by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development on Sunday.
The revoked licenses, which will be removed from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal, consist of: 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses and 470 small-scale mining leases
This recent decision, approved by the minister, Dele Alake based on recommendations from the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office, raises the total number of revoked mineral licenses under the Tinubu administration to 3,794, which includes 619 revoked for non-payment of fees and 912 for inactivity last year.
Alake emphasized that this action is aimed at discouraging speculative practices in the industry, where licenses are often acquired but not utilized.
“The time of obtaining licenses just to keep them for resale is over.
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The annual service fee is the basic proof of interest in mining,” the minister stated, warning that outstanding debts will still be enforced through the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
MCO Director-General, Simon Nkom noted that 1,957 operators were initially identified in a gazette published on June 19, 2025, which provided defaulters with a 30-day period to rectify their payments.
Some delays in the final revocation occurred due to the need to reconcile payments made through Remita.
The government asserts that this cleanup initiative, aimed at eliminating expired, inactive, and speculative licenses, will create opportunities for legitimate investors, enhance due diligence, and improve the integrity of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
