The Nigerian Government on Sunday alleged that a mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning what it described as a “campaign of calumny” against Nigeria ahead of the planned state visit of Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom (UK).
The New Telegraph reports that the allegation follows an ongoing dispute over the Federal Government’s revocation of certain mineral licences.
According to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, the company and its associates are allegedly preparing to circulate misleading information about Nigeria’s mining sector in a bid to discredit the Federal Government’s reforms.
In a statement made available to newsmen, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, said claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard were false.
Tomori said the ministry had earlier responded to what it described as false allegations contained in a publication titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”
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The statement read, “It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, plans to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Federal Government of Nigeria during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom.
“Earlier in the week, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, authored a robust response to a tissue of falsehoods sponsored by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled ‘Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.
“Our response, titled ‘In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,’ exposed the antics of one Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whose deceitful enterprise in the mining sector eventually met the full weight of the law.”
This is as Tomori insisted that the Federal Government had no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium.
“We made it unequivocally clear that the allegations are baseless and unfounded. The Federal Government, through the ministry and the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium, as the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act expressly prohibits the granting of mining licences to foreign companies,” he said.
The ministry explained that the dispute arose after authorities revoked mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian firm linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis.
According to the government, the company lost the licences after failing to meet statutory financial obligations under Nigeria’s mining regulations.
“The bone of contention is the strict application of regulations governing the mining sector, which necessitated the revocation of mineral titles belonging to a Nigerian company, Basin Mining Ltd, fronted by the said Mr Davis, an Australian national,” Tomori stated.
“The revocation was done after due notice was served on the company in line with extant laws on default in payment of annual service fees.”
The ministry said Basin Mining Ltd owed about N2.494bn in unpaid annual service fees for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years before its mineral titles were revoked.
It also dismissed claims that the licences were reassigned to a Chinese company, describing the allegation as false.
“Jupiter, though unknown to the mining authorities, peddled falsehoods by claiming that its titles were revoked in favour of a Chinese firm.
“This is a complete fabrication!” the statement added.
Tomori further alleged that Davis held interests in several mining companies in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
He said such arrangements were commonly used by speculators to obtain mineral licences without carrying out actual mining operations.
“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,” the statement said.
The ministry added that the government would not reverse reforms aimed at improving transparency and accountability in the mining sector.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company.
“Our commitment to transforming the mining sector into a major contributor to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product is unwavering,” Tomori said.
President Tinubu is scheduled to undertake a state visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19 following an invitation from Charles III, who is expected to host the Nigerian leader at Windsor Castle.
The visit is expected to focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic relations between both countries, including cooperation in trade, investment, security and migration.
