*‘I am receiving threats from unknown powerful individuals in the country’
*‘My ministry revoked over 1, 263 mining licenses held by companies for several years without payment of annual service fees and other charges in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations’
*“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration cancelled 3,794 mineral titles since last year which includes 619 mineral titles for defaulting in the payment of annual service fees and 912 for prolonged dormancy. Why are these people now after me?”–ALAKE
*BY JOSHUA TUNIDUN/Oil & Mineral Resources Correspondent, Abuja/Naija Standard Newspaper Inc USA
THERE seems to be tension brewing in the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Abuja, Nigeria as the minister is raising the alarm that his life is presently under threat by unknown, powerful individuals in the country, who may have placed bounty over his head, as his office revokes various mining licenses due to prolonged dormancy and default in the payment of annual service fees.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has raised the alarm over incessant threats to his life by unknown powerful individuals following the recent revocation by the ministry of more than 1, 263 mining licenses held by companies for several years without payment of annual service fees and other charges in compliance with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
About 3,794 mineral titles have been revoked by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration since last year and these included 619 mineral titles cancelled for defaulting in the payment of annual service fees and 912 for prolonged dormancy.
The licenses have also been deleted from the Electronic Mining Cadastral System portal of the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office. Those affected include 584 exploration licenses, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licenses, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
At a press conference held last weekend to mark the beginning of the 2025 Nigeria Mining Week, which starts on Monday, 13 October 2025, Alake stated that the frequency of the threats has compelled him to increase the number of security details around him to forestall any attacks.
“I have tripled the number of my personal security after receiving several death threats from unknown individuals and companies whose mining licenses were revoked for failing to comply with necessary government regulations,” he said.
Alake regretted that rather than do the right thing to get back their licenses, some of the affected individuals and companies that defaulted in paying fees and refused to commence mining operations for more than ten years in some cases have resorted to threatening him and some other employees of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development with the hope of arm-twisting officials concerned to recover their licenses from the backdoor.
Alake said “I am not afraid of them because we fought several battles to get to where we are today. Some have even threatened to sue us at the International Court of Arbitration, but I want to see the international court which will say that licenses that people obtained under our local regulations which were wantonly flaunted that the people who did so are right. I do not see any judge who will support such nonsense.
“Some of the companies and individuals have also been sponsoring all sorts of spurious publications disparaging our policies even though these policies have earned accolades beyond the shores of Nigeria. We will not be discouraged by their actions or what they still plan to do,” he said.
The Minister, however, offered to create a window of restitution whereby the defaulting companies and individuals can get back their licenses after paying up the accrued debts to the government and a default charge of N10 million apart from clearing every other outstanding indebtedness against them.
“We have a restitution option, which is part of our bending over backward policy not to stifle local investment.
There is the option whereby the defaulting companies and individuals can get back their licences after paying all the money they owe to the government on their licences and a mandatory fine of N10 million to get back the licences. The fine was meant to compel defaulting companies and individuals not to fail in their obligations next time,” Alake stated.
He also disclosed that earnings from the solid minerals sector increased exponentially this year compared to previous years when the sector was neglected while focus was concentrated on petroleum resources exploitation.
“This year alone, the GDP from the Solid minerals sector has increased astronomically. We understand it’s somewhere around N4.6billion. The important point is that we are now putting in the policies that are changing the narratives and the trajectory and from all available statistics, the revenue is going up. So, we have to continue pushing until we achieve the objectives of making the solid minerals sector the pillar of our economy. That is our agenda. It will not happen in one day, but it is a process that is on course,” Alake declared.
The Minister stated that this year’s mining week will attract 100 exhibitors, 3500 delegates from within and outside Nigeria, and will provide high level panel discussion sessions and investments forums featuring global mining experts and chief executives, financiers and policy makers.
In his address at the media briefing, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Ayanleke commended the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development for its landmark reforms which, he stated, have made the solid minerals sector more viable today than it was in previous years.
Ayanleke promised that the Miners Association will always support government programmes that uplift and improve the business environment adding, “We remain unwavering in our commitment to promoting collaboration, transparency, and sustainability. Our partnership with the ministry, development partners, investors and industry stakeholders are stronger than ever and together, we will continue to create the enabling environment where mining thrives, investments flourish and communities prosper.”
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