The Nigerian government generated ₦6.96 billion from mining fees and approved the registration of 118 private solid mineral buying centres across the country in the first quarter of 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to reform and grow the mining sector.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, made the disclosure at the 2nd Annual Mining Conference held in Abuja. He noted that the revenue came from 955 title applications processed by the Mining Cadastral Office. These included applications for exploration, small-scale mining, quarrying, and reconnaissance activities.
According to him, 867 titles were approved in Q1 alone, with exploration licences accounting for over half. The ministry also exceeded its 2024 revenue target of ₦11 billion by a margin of ₦27 billion, closing the year with ₦38 billion in total revenue.
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Dr Alake said ongoing reforms are focused on reducing ownership disputes, improving transparency, and encouraging investment through the upcoming Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation. The proposed corporation will be jointly owned by the federal government (25%), the Nigerian public (25%), and private sector players (50%).
He also announced growing international partnerships, including support from France, Western Australia, and South Africa for capacity-building and technical training. Several lithium, bauxite, and gold refining plants are expected to come on stream before the end of the quarter.
"These reforms are already positioning Nigeria as a mining investment hub in Africa," Dr Alake said, adding that the country now chairs the African Minerals Strategy Group due to its push for value addition and local beneficiation.
