The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has alleged that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, is planning to launch a campaign of misinformation against the Federal Government during the forthcoming state visit of Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the United Kingdom.
In a statement, the ministry said it had become aware of plans by the company to circulate what it described as false claims about Nigeria’s mining sector in international media.
Earlier in the week, Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, issued a response to what he described as a series of misleading allegations sponsored by the company in a publication titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”
According to Bamigbetan, the ministry’s response, titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,” detailed the activities of Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whom it accused of engaging in deceptive practices within the mining sector until regulatory authorities intervened.
The ministry maintained that the allegations against the government were baseless, stressing that neither the ministry nor the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office (NMCO) has any legal or contractual relationship with a company known as Jupiter Lithium.
It explained that the dispute stemmed from the enforcement of regulations that led to the revocation of mineral titles held by Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company allegedly fronted by Davis, an Australian national.
The revocation followed the company’s failure to pay statutory annual service fees, in accordance with the provisions of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, which governs the country’s mining sector.
According to the ministry, Basin Mining defaulted on payments amounting to ₦2.494 billion covering mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The ministry also dismissed claims that the revoked titles had been reassigned to a Chinese company, describing the allegation as entirely fabricated.
Instead, officials said the action was a routine regulatory measure taken after the company failed to meet its statutory obligations despite receiving due notice.
The ministry further alleged that Davis is linked to several other companies operating in the sector, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
It claimed that such entities often obtain mineral titles without undertaking actual mining activities, a practice the government says contributes to the challenge of illegal mining and discourages serious investors.
The ministry emphasised that the current administration is committed to enforcing regulations to eliminate speculative practices that have historically hindered the growth of Nigeria’s mining sector.
It urged both Nigerians and the international community to disregard what it described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine ongoing reforms in the sector.
According to the ministry, the government remains determined to transform mining into a significant contributor to national revenue and economic growth.
It added that Nigeria continues to welcome legitimate investors willing to operate within the country’s legal framework, noting that incentives such as tax waivers on imported mining equipment and full repatriation of profits have been introduced to improve the ease of doing business in the sector.
