General
FG Revokes 3,794 Mining Licences in Two Years
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria has revoked 3,794 mining licences since the inception of President Bola Tinubu administration in May 2023.
This is as the Minster of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, recently approved the revocation of 1,263 mineral licences over default in payment of annual fees.
In a statement by his Special Assistant on Media, Mr Segun Tomori, on Sunday in Abuja, he said the latest revocation approval, recommended by the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), included 584 exploration licences, 65 mining leases, 144 quarry licences, and 470 small-scale mining leases.
He said the move was part of ongoing efforts by the President Bola Tinubu’s administration aimed at sanitising the mining sector.
The minister said by the action, the licences would be deleted from the portal of the Electronic Mining Cadastral system of the MCO which would create more opportunities for investors .
“The annual service fee is the minimum evidence that you are interested in mining.
“You don’t have to wait for us to revoke the licence because the law allows you to return the licence if you change your mind,” the minister said.
Mr Alake said by opening up the areas formerly covered by these licenses, the move was expected to spur fresh applications by investors looking for fresh opportunities.
According to him, applying the law to keep speculators and unserious investors away from the mining sector will make way for diligent investors and grow the sector.
“The era of obtaining licences and keeping them in drawers for the highest bidder while financially capable and industrious businessmen are complaining of access to good sites is over,” he said.
Mr Alake warned that the revocation did not imply that the payment of the annual fees had been pardoned.
The minister stated that the list would be forwarded to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that debtors pay or face the wrath of the law.
“This is to encourage due diligence and emphasise the consequences of inundating the licence application processes with speculative activities,” he said.
According to Mr Tomori, the Director-General of the MCO, Mr Simon Nkom, in his presentation to the minister, stated that there were 1,957 initial defaulters when it published to revoke licences in the Federal Government Gazette on June 19, 2025.
He said that the gazette was distributed to MCO offices nationwide to sensitise those affected and to encourage them comply within 30 days inline with the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and relevant regulations.
Mr Tomori said a total of 3,794 licences have been revoked since the inception of President Bola Tinubu administration including, 619 mineral titles revoked for default in paying annual service fees and 912 for dormancy last year.
Mr Alake had announced in August that more than 1,000 licences would be revoked to reposition the solid minerals sector as a driver of national industrial growth and continental leadership.
He said the Tinubu’s administration was laying the foundation for Nigeria where mineral resources create Nigerian jobs, feed Nigerian industries, and build Nigerian prosperity.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The federal government has hailed the recent sanctioning of three Nigerian bureau de change (BDC) operators by the United States’ Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) for alleged terrorism financing.
“The Nigeria Sanctions Committee welcomes the recent inclusion of Mukthar Muhammad Adamu, Nine to Nine BDC, and Generation BDC Limited by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
“These designations follow the inclusion of Adamu and his companies as part of a broader update to the Nigeria Sanctions List approved and published on 18th June 2026,” it disclosed in a statement.
It said that the naming of the three companies and six people followed extensive intelligence gathering, financial investigations, and inter-agency assessments, which established reasonable grounds to believe that the affected individuals and entities facilitated, financed, supported, or otherwise contributed to the activities of the Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) and associated terrorist networks.
“The individuals and entities added to the Nigeria Sanctions List on 18th June 2026 are Ibrahim Yakubu Ogirima (NLISWi.19), Muktar Muhammad Adamu (NLISWi.20), Adamu Chiroma (NLISWi.21), Ibrahim Abubakar (NLISWi.22), Abdullahi Umar Usman (NLISWi.23), Babangida Muhammed Adamu Hammajam (NLISWi.24), Abbal Bako & Sons Bureau De Change Limited (NLISWe.25), Generation Currency BDC Limited (NLISWe.26), Nine to Nine BDC Limited (NLISWe.27),” the statement read in part.
The federal government reiterated its directive to all financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses and professions to continue to comply with all sanctions obligations, including asset-freezing requirements, the filing of suspicious transaction reports, and the reporting of all relevant matches to the appropriate authorities.
The sanctions committee commended the work of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Department of State Services, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit for their actions to ensure that terrorist groups are denied the resources that sustain their activities.
It stated that Nigeria remains resolute in its commitment to ensuring that terrorists and their financiers find no safe haven within the country’s financial system.
The committee also said that the Federal Government would continue to work closely with domestic stakeholders and international partners to protect national security, strengthen financial integrity, and contribute to global efforts to combat terrorism and its financing.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
A radio station, Wise FM, has been sealed by officials of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The premises of the broadcast media platform, located on Ogabi Street, Meiran, Ile-Iwe Bus Stop, were shut by the state government on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, alongside other establishments across different parts of Lagos State for alleged persistent violations of environmental regulations despite repeated warnings, abatement notices, and opportunities provided for compliance.
In a statement by LASEPA, it was disclosed that the enforcement exercise was carried out in response to various environmental infractions, including noise pollution, air pollution, obstruction of official duties, and failure to comply with its directives.
As regards Wise FM, it was said that it was sealed for noise and air pollution as well as non-compliance with the Agency’s directives.
Another organisation affected, Star-View Terrace, located in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was shut down for noise pollution and non-compliance with the agency’s directives, while Premiership Suites, located at Akin Osiyemi Street, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, was sealed for non-compliance with the agency’s directives.
Speaking on the enforcement operation, the General Manager of LASEPA, Mr Babatunde Ajayi, reiterated the organisation’s unwavering commitment to safeguarding public health and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment across Lagos State.
He stressed that both individuals and corporate organisations have a responsibility to comply with environmental laws and regulations, stressing that environmental protection remains a collective duty that requires the cooperation of all stakeholders.
The LASEPA boss warned that the agency would continue to intensify enforcement actions against violators in order to curb environmental nuisances and protect residents from the harmful effects of pollution.
Mr Ajayi urged residents, business owners, and operators of commercial establishments to adopt environmentally responsible practices and cooperate with regulatory authorities in promoting a healthier, cleaner, and more livable Lagos.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Renowned legal practitioner, Mr Mike Ozekhome, has been directed to desist from using the prestigious title of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) for now pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings against him.
He is being investigated by the Legal Practitioners’ Privileges Committee (LPPC), a body which looks into complaints against lawyers in Nigeria.
Announcing the suspension of the prominent lawyer’s SAN rank on Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr Kabir Akanbi, said the disciplinary action was taken at the committee’s 173rd general meeting on Tuesday, June 23, 2026.
Mr Akanbi, who doubles as the Secretary of the LPPC, stated in the statement that the temporary ban is intended to safeguard the integrity, dignity, and prestige of the SAN rank while the matters under review are being considered.
It was explained that the suspension was pursuant to Paragraph 26(6) of the Guidelines for the Conferment of the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria and all Matters Pertaining to the Rank, adding that it is tied to disciplinary proceedings currently before the Disciplinary and Ethics Sub-Committee of the LPPC and other related proceedings.
“The LPPC remains committed to upholding the highest standards of professional ethics, integrity, and discipline within the legal profession and to ensuring that the Rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria continues to command public confidence and respect,” a part of the notice disclosed.
It stressed that, “Mike Ozekhome shall refrain from parading himself, presenting himself, or otherwise holding himself out as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria pending the final determination of the disciplinary proceedings.”
The title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is the highest honour bestowed upon legal practitioners in the country, recognising excellence and long-standing contributions to the legal profession. The LPPC is the statutory body empowered to award and withdraw the rank.
Mr Ozekhome is one of Nigeria’s famous constitutional lawyers, human rights activists, and public commentators, but lately, his name was mentioned in an alleged forgery in the United Kingdom.
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