FG Accuses Discredited Mining Firm Of Plotting Smear Campaign During Tinubu’s UK Visit

The Federal Government has accused a mining company, Jupiter Ltd, of planning a smear campaign against Nigeria during the forthcoming visit of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to the United Kingdom.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development said the company, which it described as embattled and discredited, intends to circulate false allegations about the Nigerian government in the course of the presidential trip.

The ministry said the allegation followed what it described as a “tissue of falsehoods” earlier circulated by the firm in a publication titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.”

Responding to the claim, the Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, had earlier published a rebuttal titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons.” According to the ministry, the response exposed the activities of two individuals, Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, whom it accused of running deceptive mining operations in Nigeria.

The ministry maintained that the Federal Government has no legal or contractual relationship with any company known as Jupiter Lithium. It explained that under the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007, mining licences cannot be issued directly to foreign companies.

According to the statement, the dispute stems from the revocation of mineral titles previously held by a Nigerian firm, Basin Mining Ltd, which it said was linked to Davis, an Australian national.

The government said the licences were withdrawn after the company failed to pay statutory annual service fees amounting to ?2.494 billion for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The affected mineral titles include 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML and 40533ML.

The ministry rejected claims that the revoked licences were transferred to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as entirely fabricated.
It further accused Davis of operating through multiple companies to acquire mining licences without developing them. The companies listed include Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.

According to the ministry, such practices contribute to illegal mining and prevent genuine investors with the capacity to develop the sector from accessing mineral resources.

The government said reforms introduced under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu are aimed at restoring transparency and ensuring compliance with regulations in the mining sector.

It warned that attempts to discredit Nigeria’s regulatory framework would not derail ongoing reforms.
“The Federal Government cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms in the mining sector,” the statement said.

The ministry also reiterated that Nigeria remains open to legitimate investors who comply with local laws. It noted that incentives such as tax waivers on imported mining equipment and full repatriation of profits have been introduced to attract responsible investment.

The statement was signed by Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development.