Nigeria Revokes 1,263 Mining Licences to Attract Serious Investors
Nigeria Cancels Over 1,200 Dormant Mining Licences to Boost Solid Minerals Investment
The Nigerian government has revoked 1,263 mineral licences in a sweeping effort to reform its underdeveloped mining sector and eliminate speculative operators. The move aims to free up access for serious investors seeking opportunities in the country’s solid minerals industry.
The affected licences, now slated for removal from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (eMC+) portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office (MCO), include:
584 exploration licences
65 mining leases
144 quarry licences
470 small-scale mining leases
Cracking Down on Speculative Practices
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, announced the revocation through his Special Assistant on Media. He explained that many licence holders failed to meet their annual service fee obligations, a basic requirement under Nigerian law.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder, while capable and industrious businessmen complain of access to good sites, is over,” Alake said. “The annual service fee is the minimum evidence of interest in mining.”
He further warned that the revocation does not exempt defaulters from paying outstanding fees. The list of offenders will be forwarded to the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for enforcement.
This is not the first time Nigeria has taken such action. In April 2024, the government revoked 924 dormant licences—528 exploration permits, 20 mining leases, 101 quarry licences, and 273 small-scale mining licences.
At the time, Alake highlighted that the move was necessary to combat “licence racketeering,” where mineral titles are acquired only to be sold on a secondary black market.
“By creating a black market for licences, speculators mislead investors into thinking they must patronize the underground system to secure permits. This discourages genuine investment,” he said.
Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil producer, is also rich in mineral resources such as lithium, gold, and limestone. The government has been pushing to diversify the economy by attracting investors into mining. Incentives include tax waivers, full repatriation of profits, and stricter licensing rules that require local processing of minerals.
With the latest round of cancellations, the total number of mineral titles revoked under the current administration rises to 3,794. This includes 619 titles cancelled for defaulting on service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
By freeing up licences held by inactive operators, Nigeria hopes to create a more transparent and competitive environment for exploration and production, particularly in mineral-rich regions with high commercial potential.
