The federal government has firmly declared that it will not reverse the revocation of mining licences issued to defaulting operators, warning that no amount of media propaganda, foreign pressure, or international arbitration will force its hand.

Reiterating the administration’s stance, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, stated that compliance with Nigerian laws remains non-negotiable for all operators in the sector.

Bamigbetan made the assertion in a statement in Abuja on Sunday, dismissing claims that the government was favouring Chinese entities at the expense of Western investors.

He described the allegations as a “coordinated blackmail campaign” orchestrated by foreign-backed interests whose licences were withdrawn over massive debt accumulation and failure to meet statutory obligations.

Bamigbetan, a former Commissioner for Information in Lagos State, cited the case of Basin Mining Limited and its foreign affiliate, Jupiter, revealing that the firm defaulted on its financial commitments under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act. NigerianPolitics Coverage

“Defaulting companies must comply with Nigerian laws. No amount of propaganda will reverse the revocation of licences belonging to serial defaulters,” Bamigbetan asserted.

According to the ministry, Basin Mining Limited owed N1.223 billion in annual service fees when it was first served a default notice in 2024. That debt subsequently ballooned to N2.494 billion prior to the final revocation of its operational licences.

Bamigbetan alleged that rather than settling its outstanding statutory debts, Jupiter resorted to international arbitration and media smears to force a compromise from the Federal Government.

Addressing allegations of a pro-China bias levelled against the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, Bamigbetan described the claims as entirely baseless, pointing to the minister’s global engagement record.

He noted that Alake had visited China only twice in three years—once on an official state visit alongside President Bola Tinubu and once to attend China Mining Week at the host government’s invitation.

In contrast, the ministerial aide explained that Alake has aggressively courted capital across Western nations, participating in major global summits, including the London Mines and Money Conference, Perth’s Africa Down Under, and the Mining Indaba in South Africa.

“Nigeria’s solid minerals sector is open to all legitimate investors who abide by our laws. Over 300 Western companies are currently operating across various segments of the nation’s mining industry,” Bamigbetan noted.

He further clarified that Nigeria’s open-market mining policies date back to the enactment of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) Act of 1995, which opened the economy to foreign direct investment (FDI).

Under Dr Alake’s Seven-Point Agenda, the ministry has shifted focus to strict regulatory enforcement, local mineral processing, and mandatory value addition to ensure raw minerals are no longer exported without local processing.

Highlighting the success of these ongoing reforms, Bamigbetan cited key achievements, including the deployment of Mining Marshals to tackle illegal operations and secure mining corridors, the establishment of the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company to drive commercial investment, and the inauguration of modern mineral processing plants, largely driven by compliant international firms.

The ministry reiterated that the Federal Government remains resolute in enforcing the rule of law across the solid minerals sector, maintaining that regulatory compliance will not be sacrificed for investor expediency. (The Nation)

Update news