The Federal Government has defended its decision to revoke several mineral titles over unpaid statutory fees, accusing a mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, of spreading false claims about Nigeria’s mining sector.
The allegation was made in a statement issued on Sunday by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, who said the company was attempting to discredit ongoing reforms in the sector.
Tomori stated that the ministry became aware of plans by the firm to sponsor negative publicity abroad, following claims published in a report titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”
He noted that the ministry had previously responded to the publication through an article written by the Special Adviser to the Minister, Kehinde Bamigbetan, titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons.” According to Tomori, the government’s response exposed what it described as misleading claims allegedly promoted by individuals, including Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, regarding mining operations in Nigeria.
He added that the Federal Government, through the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium.
Tomori explained that under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007, mining licences cannot be granted directly to foreign companies. The ministry said the dispute arose from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to Davis, an Australian national. The titles were revoked after the company allegedly failed to pay statutory annual service fees despite receiving due notice.
According to the ministry, the unpaid fees amounted to ₦2.494 billion for mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML, and 40533ML, covering the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The statement dismissed claims that the licences were withdrawn in favour of a Chinese firm as “a complete fabrication.”