In an endeavor to enhance transparency in Nigeria’s mining industry, the federal government has canceled 924 inactive licenses across exploration, mining, small-scale mining, and quarrying sectors. The revocation was announced by Mr. Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, during a press conference held on Wednesday. He stated that in compliance with the constitutional guidelines, sufficient notification was provided to relevant parties via the official Gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, No. 227, issued on December 27, 2023.

He said, “The notice gave all concerned parties 30 days to regularise their status, including clarifications on what caused the license to be dormant. Thus, although a total of 963 licensees were published and notified of the threat of revocation, no fewer than 39 either moved to the site immediately or convinced the authorities of the challenges hindering their operations”,