Foreign Firm Planning Smear Campaign Against FG During Tinubu’s UK Visit” — Solid Minerals Ministry

The federal ministry of solid minerals development says a foreign-linked mining company is planning a smear campaign against the Nigerian government during President Bola Tinubu’s upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom.

Tinubu is scheduled to visit the UK on March 18.

In a statement issued Saturday, Segun Tomori, media aide to the minister of solid minerals development, alleged that the campaign is being orchestrated by Jupiter Limited following what the ministry described as false claims published earlier in the week.

According to Tomori, the ministry had already responded to a report titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard,” which it said contained inaccurate information and was sponsored by the company.

The ministry’s earlier rebuttal, titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,” addressed allegations involving Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald over their activities in Nigeria’s mining sector.

Tomori said the federal government has no legal or contractual relationship with any company identified as Jupiter Lithium.

He added that the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (2007) prohibits the granting of mining licences directly to foreign companies.

According to the statement, the dispute stems from the enforcement of mining regulations that led to the revocation of mineral titles held by Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company allegedly linked to Davis, an Australian national.

The ministry said the revocation followed the company’s failure to pay statutory annual service fees amounting to ₦2.494 billion for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years. The unpaid fees were tied to several mineral titles, including 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML.

Tomori said Jupiter Limited, which the ministry claims is not recognised by Nigerian mining authorities, falsely alleged that the titles were revoked in favour of a Chinese company.

He described the claim as “a complete fabrication.”

The ministry also alleged that Davis operates through multiple companies to obtain mineral licences without carrying out actual mining activities.

The companies named include Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.

Tomori said such practices contribute to illegal mining by allowing licence holders to hold mineral titles without developing them, thereby preventing serious investors from entering the sector.

He added that the federal government will not tolerate actions that undermine ongoing reforms in the mining industry.

Tomori urged Nigerians and the international community to be cautious of what he described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to discredit the government’s efforts to improve transparency and regulation in the sector.

He said the government remains committed to strengthening the mining industry and positioning it as a significant contributor to Nigeria’s GDP while attracting investors who comply with the country’s laws.