Revocation of Defaulting Mineral Titles: A Step Towards Sector Reform
The Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has been lauded for his decision to reposition the nation’s mining industry by revoking defaulting mineral titles. A Coalition of 40 Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) expressed their appreciation for this action in a statement released in Abuja on Wednesday. Nevertheless, they also issued a warning to holders of defaulting titles, urging them to vacate the site immediately for the benefit of the sector’s growth and development. Additionally, the Coalition emphasized the need to curb illegal and fraudulent mining activities in Nigeria’s mining sector. Led by the Executive Director of Global Peace and Life Rescue Initiative (GOPRI), Amb. Melvin Ejeh, the group hailed the Minister’s action as a significant step forward for the mining industry.
The revocation of 1,633 mineral titles over unpaid annual fees, announced by the Minister on Tuesday, was the result of the Mining Cadastral Office’s initiative to initiate the revocation process for 2,213 titles, including exploration titles, small-scale mining licenses, quarry licenses, and mining leases, as of October 4, 2023. The Minister clarified that the mineral titles were revoked due to the holders’ failure to pay the prescribed annual service fees on time, despite a 30-day default notice from the Mining Cadastre Office.
In a joint press statement on Wednesday, the 40 civil society groups commended the Minister for advancing President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda on Solid Minerals. The statement was collectively signed by several esteemed individuals, including the Executive Director of GOPRI, the National Co-ordinator of the Center for Justice and Good Governance in Africa, the Director of the Conference of North West Professionals Network (CONOWP), the representative for Community Action for Development (CAD), the National Women Empowerment Network (NAWOEN), and the Executive Director of Access to Good Governance Initiative.
The groups appealed to the Minister to focus on completely sanitizing the nation’s mining sector. They acknowledged the Minister’s efforts to improve the solid minerals industry, which has long faced challenges hindering its growth. They highlighted the dominance of illegal mining activities in the sector, leading to revenue loss, foreign exchange deficits, and environmental degradation. They appreciated the Minister’s commitment towards elevating solid minerals to enhance the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and create employment opportunities for the country’s youth. The Coalition expressed disappointment that only 580 title holders settled their debts, resulting in the recommendation to revoke 1,633 mineral titles.
