Revoking Idle Mining Licences: NMCO Takes Action
The Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO) is poised to revoke inactive mining licenses in the wake of the introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral Plus (eMC+), an innovative online platform designed to promote transparency in Nigeria’s mining sector. This new platform has garnered considerable attention, with over 7,000 mineral title applications officially recorded. The eMC+ was launched on November 2, 2022, by former Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo and has elicited significant interest from numerous companies, with applications spanning various categories including mining, exploration, quarry, and small-scale mining licenses.
At the 2023 ‘Nigeria Mining Week’ event, Obadiah Nkom, the Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, disclosed that 977 companies seamlessly applied online, while 2,053 companies sought assistance at the MCO, resulting in a total of 7,310 applications and modifications.
We are observing a 38 per cent adoption rate of the eMC+ within the mining sector, indicating its increasing importance. Nkom emphasized the crucial role of transparency in licensing, stressing that failure to meet obligations, such as non-payment of fees and inactive operations, could lead to license revocation.
A significant 48.92 per cent decrease in mineral titles issued between January and October 2022 compared to 2016 has been reported, underscoring the importance of diligent licensing.
Expressing optimism about the potential impact of the eMC+, Nkom highlighted a noteworthy 40 per cent independent application rate and its transformative ability to attract essential investments to the mining sector. He emphasized the crucial role of efficient title administration in ensuring sustainable development and urged stakeholders to embrace the evolving landscape of digital applications in the industry.
