Federal Government Revokes 1,633 Mineral Titles Due to Unpaid Fees
The Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, has officially announced the revocation of a total of 1,633 mineral titles by the federal government due to non-payment of annual fees, signifying a marked decrease from the 3,402 mineral titles revoked in 2022.
Mr. Alake underscored that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA) 2007 unequivocally stipulates that mining operators are obligated to remit an annual service fee at a predetermined rate. Regrettably, it has come to the government’s attention that certain entities have failed to adhere to this statutory provision.
As per the Minister’s clarification, the annual fee may be as nominal as N1500 for cadastral units not surpassing 200 units. Furthermore, he expounded that the revocation process was initiated on October 4, 2023, affecting a grand total of 2,213 titles, encompassing 795 Exploration titles, 956 Small Scale Mining Licences, 364 Quarry licences, and 98 Mining Leases. These pertinent details were formally disseminated in the Federal Government Gazette Number 178, Volume 110 of October 10, 2023, alongside a public notice of revocation for delinquency in payment of the Annual Service Fee.
Following the obligatory 30-day grace period which lapsed on November 10, 2023, a mere 580 titleholders took the necessary steps to settle their outstanding debts. Consequently, the Ministerial Cadastral Office (MCO) advocated for the revocation of 1,633 mineral titles, categorized as follows: Exploration Licence – 536; Quarry Licence – 279; Small Scale Mining Licence – 787; and Mining Lease – 31.
In pursuance of the authority vested in him by the NMMA 2007, Section 5(a), Mr. Alake duly approved the revocation of the 1,633 titles and issued a stern admonition to the parties affected. He emphasized that individuals whose licences have been invalidated must promptly evacuate the relevant mining sites in order to avert legal consequences.
