Mineral titles fall 37% as insecurity threatens sector

Minister of Mines and Steel Development Olamilekan Adegbite disclosed that the total number of mineral titles issued to mining companies fell by 36.63 percent over five years. In 2016, 2,815 titles were granted, but only 1,438 were issued in 2021. The presentation, delivered at the ninth edition of the President’s Scorecard 2015‑2023 series organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture, also showed the yearly breakdown: 2,258 titles in 2016, 2,429 in 2017, 2,124 in 2018, and 1,620 in 2019. Between January and October 2022, 1,438 titles were issued, representing a 48.92 percent decline from the 2016 figure. These titles encompass mining, exploration, quarry, and small‑scale mining licences.

Director‑General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO), Mr. Obadiah Nkom, told a State House briefing that 3,402 titles had been revoked for defaulting on licence terms. The NMCO cancelled the mining rights of companies that were not actively using their licences and reported generating over N3.7 billion in 2022.

The mining sector has also been hampered by insecurity. In March 2021, President Muhammadu Buhari approved a ban on mining activities in Zamfara State and declared a no‑fly zone over the area. Last year, the Federal Government considered further restrictions, including a ban on the use of motorcycles for mining, following terrorist attacks such as the July 5 assault on the Kuje Correctional Facility and other incidents nationwide.

Representatives of the Miners Association of Nigeria, speaking at a recent press briefing in Abuja, urged the government to address rising insecurity rather than impose additional bans on mining. Data from the Nigeria Security Tracker—a project of the Council on Foreign Relations—show that mining communities suffered at least 363 casualties—including deaths, kidnappings, and injuries—from attacks and clashes between 2016 and 2022. These figures cover incidents recorded from November 2016 to June 2022 across mining sites, surrounding communities, and among miners nationwide.