The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has raised the alarm over an alleged plot by a mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, to disrupt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's historic state visit to the United Kingdom through a sponsored "campaign of calumny" designed to embarrass the Nigerian leader.
President Tinubu, accompanied by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, is scheduled for a two-day state visit to the UK on Wednesday and Thursday, where King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host them at Windsor Castle.
The visit marks Nigeria's first state visit to Windsor Castle in 37 years.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Segun Tomori, the ministry alleged that the company planned to sponsor a protest and media campaign targeted at discrediting the government over the enforcement of mining regulations.
Tomori described the firm's claims as a "tissue of falsehoods" designed to distract from the government's efforts to sanitize the mining sector.
The controversy stems from the revocation of mineral titles previously held by Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company reportedly fronted by Australian national Steve Davis.
The ministry said the licenses were revoked after the company failed to pay statutory annual service fees totaling N2,494,000,000 for multiple mineral titles for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The statement emphasized that the Federal Government has no direct legal relationship with "Jupiter Lithium," as Nigerian law prohibits granting mining licenses directly to foreign entities.
"The Federal Government, through the Ministry and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office (NMCO), has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium.
The Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (NMMA 2007) expressly prohibits the granting of mining licenses to foreign companies," the statement read.
The ministry further accused Mr. Davis of being a "mining speculator who manages a web of six different companies to acquire titles without conducting actual operations."
This practice, the government argues, prevents genuine investors from entering the market and contributes to the rise of illegal mining.
On rumors that the titles were seized to favor a Chinese firm, the ministry dismissed the claim as a "complete fabrication."
Tomori added: "Instead of adhering to Nigerian mining laws, Davis would rather operate surreptitiously as a mining speculator who sets up companies to acquire mineral titles and shortchange the nation.
Unfortunately for him, the government's strict application of the regulations caught up with him."
Insisting that ongoing reforms are intended to transform the mining sector into a major contributor to Nigeria's GDP, the ministry maintained that the Federal Government would not be intimidated by international pressure or "shows of shame" organised abroad.
"The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company.
The nefarious activities of the past that stunted the growth of the mining sector will no longer be tolerated," the statement warned.
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