The Mining Cadastre Office says it generated N10.9 billion between January and April 2025.

MCO director-general Stephen Nkom disclosed this in a statement on Sunday.

Mr Nkom explained that the achievement was due to the reforms introduced by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, to reposition the mining sector.

Mr Alake had disclosed that MCO collected about N7 billion in mining fees and registered 118 new private mineral buying centres in the first quarter of 2025.

Mr Alake said the fees came from 955 applications for title grants of which 651 were for exploration, 270 for small-scale mining, 49 for quarrying, and 24 for reconnaissance permits.

The MCO boss stated that the organisation was committed to promoting transparency, accountability and efficiency in the mining sector.

He said the agency’s migration to the digital  Electronic Mining Cadastre system in 2022 was a significant step toward enhancing accessibility, automation, and regulatory effectiveness.

According to Mr Nkom, MCO is collaborating with government agencies such as the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the police to achieve the feat.

He added that  MCO and the Corporate Affairs Commission were strengthening their collaboration to ensure that only companies properly registered and compliant with statutory requirements were allowed to operate.

According to Mr  Nkom, MCO is ready to provide CAC with comprehensive data on registered companies that fully comply with annual return requirements.

CAC registrar-general Hussaini Magaji recently paid a courtesy visit to the MCO’s boss, where he sought collaboration.

Mr Magaji said that collaboration ensured that companies operating in the mining sector complied with CAC regulations, including timely filing of annual returns, to qualify for and retain mining licences.

(NAN)