The Federal Government has taken action to revoke a total of 924 dormant mineral mining licences, as announced by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, during a press conference held in Abuja on Wednesday.
The revoked licences comprise 528 exploration licences, 20 mining leases, 101 quarry licences, and 273 small-scale mining licences.
Alake revealed that the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development identified issues of licence racketeering within the sector, prompting the need for this decisive action.
Moreover, he emphasized that proper notice was provided to the concerned parties through the official gazette of the Federal Republic of Nigeria No. 227, which was published on December 27, 2023.
This notice allowed for a 30-day window for affected parties to rectify their status and provide explanations for the dormancy of their licences.
