Tinubu’s Govt Gives Mining Companies Deadline to Conclude Community Development Agreements

• President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has issued deadline to mining and quarrying companies licensed by the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office
• The federal government gave the mining companies until December 31, 2025 to conclude Community Development Agreements with host communities
• The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, sent message to community leaders and traditional rulers in the mining communities

Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues

FCT, Abuja – Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has given mining and quarrying companies licensed by the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office until December 31, 2025, to conclude the Community Development Agreements with host communities.

Alake issued the deadline following the review of the performance of companies on the Community Development Agreement in the first six months of this year.

The report of the Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC) department of the Ministry revealed that there were 74 new mineral titles in the first six months of the year, only 24 community development agreements were signed.

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The Special Assistant to the Honourable Minister on Media, Segun Tomori, disclosed this in a statement made available to Legit.ng on Thursday, September 18, 2025.

According to the report, in 2023, the MCO issued 960 Small Scale Mineral Licences, 391 Quarry licences, and 37 mining leases, totaling 1,388 titles that should proceed to sign CDAs before starting extraction.

While in 2024, MCO issued 728 Small Scale Mining Licences, 198 Quarry and 28 mining leases, totaling 954 mineral titles whose owners were obliged by law to engage communities and sign CDAs before embarking on mineral operations.

The minister highlighted the wide gap between the thousands of mineral titles issued and the only 342 CDAs signed so far, underscoring the urgent need for compliance.

“Under our watch, responsible mining, marked by compliance with international Environmental, Social and Governance standards, shall be the rule. We will not allow a situation in which companies rush to mine without first sitting down with the host communities, to agree to execute projects and programmes that will address their needs. We have penalized companies that owed annual service fees by revoking their titles. Refusal to protect the Nigerian people by agreeing with them on what the communities will gain from the mineral exploitation of their land is criminal expropriation, and an unpardonable injustice. This administration is not going to treat any company found guilty after this deadline with kid gloves. Their licences will not only be revoked, they will be asked to pay reparations for the minerals carted away.”

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Alake urged community leaders and traditional rulers not to undermine the outcome of CDA negotiations by demanding personal gifts from companies when their communities deserve much more, or recommending contractors who do shoddy projects and pocket what the communities should benefit.

Illegal Lithium Mine Sealed in Kebbi state

Recall that the Mining Marshals of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) took action against an illegal lithium mining operation in Kebbi state.

The NSCDC marshals sealed the mining operation for defrauding the Nigerian government of over ₦1.43 trillion.

The enforcement team took this action after the operation was linked to Three Crown Mines Ltd, a firm under investigation for mineral theft.

Solid minerals sector soars with new reforms

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that President Bola Tinubu’s mining reforms have driven a dramatic increase in sector revenue, jumping from ₦6 billion to ₦38 billion in just one year.

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Over $800 million in foreign investments have poured into Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, with major lithium processing plants already in progress.

Minister Dele Alake credited the success to tightened licensing, mandatory local processing, and aggressive action against illegal mining.

Source: Legit.ng