The total number of mineral titles issued to mining companies has dropped by 36.63 per cent within a period of five years, according to findings. Reports shows that while 2,815 mineral titles were issued in 2016, 1,438 were issued in 2021.
The statistics was contained in a presentation document by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olami-lekan Ade-gbite, at the ninth edition of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari’s administration Scorecard 2015 to 2023 series organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture.
The document also revealed that 2,258 mineral titles were issued in 2016, 2429 in 2017, 2124 in 2018, and 1,620 in 2019.
It was also noted that 1,438 mineral titles were issued between January and October 2022, which is a 48.92 drop per cent from what was issued in 2016. The mineral titles included mining, exploration, quarry, and small-scale mining licences.
recall that In March 2021, PMB approved the recommendation that mining activities in Zamafara State should stop while declaring a no-fly zone on the state.
