Obadiah Simon Nkom, Director General of the Mining Cadaster Office (MCO), has stated that licences are revoked only when they breach compliance requirements. Nkom addressed allegations of indiscriminate revocations during a presentation at Nigeria Mining Week, asserting that licence holders must follow the ‘Use It or Lose It’ principle to maintain their titles.

The MCO employs a systematic approach to handle non-compliance, which includes issuing defaulters’ notices, publishing intentions to revoke in national dailies, and obtaining approval from the Honourable Minister before revocation. This is aimed at preventing speculative hoarding of mineral resources and promoting active mining.

As of November, the MCO has exceeded its 2024 revenue target of N10 billion. Nkom highlighted the agency’s transition to the eMC+ electronic system designed to enhance transparency, noting the significant volume of applications received since its implementation, with a goal for all applicants to utilise this platform.

He also dismissed claims of a 5000 per cent increase in licence fees, clarifying that the costs were reviewed to ensure accountability and to focus on serious miners. This initiative is part of broader efforts to support the development of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.

The Mining Cadaster Office is committed to enforcing compliance standards among licence holders while enhancing transparency through new technological platforms. With significant revenue growth and strategic actions against non-compliance, the MCO aims to foster a sustainable mining sector in Nigeria.

Original Source: businessday.ng

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