The Federal Government has raised the alarm over an alleged plan by a mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, to embarrass President Bola Tinubu during his upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom.
The allegation was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, who said the plot was linked to a dispute surrounding the revocation of some mineral licences.
According to the ministry, the company and its associates were preparing to spread what it described as misleading narratives about Nigeria’s mining sector in an attempt to undermine the Federal Government’s reform initiatives.
The ministry also rejected reports claiming that Nigerian authorities forcefully seized a British-owned lithium project, describing the allegation as false and misleading.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining company, Jupiter Ltd, is planning to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Federal Government during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom,” Tomori said.
He maintained that the Federal Government had no legal or contractual dealings with any entity known as Jupiter Lithium, adding that Nigeria’s mining regulations do not allow foreign companies to directly hold mineral licences.
The ministry explained that the dispute originated from the withdrawal of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company allegedly linked to an Australian national, Steve Davis, after it failed to meet statutory obligations.
Tomori said the company lost several licences after failing to pay annual service fees totalling about N2.49bn for the 2024 and 2025 financial years, noting that the revocation was carried out in accordance with relevant mining regulations after due notice was issued.
He further dismissed claims that the revoked licences were transferred to a Chinese firm, describing the allegation as a fabrication aimed at misleading both the public and international observers.
The government also alleged that Davis had interests in several mining companies operating in Nigeria, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd and Iron Ore Mining Ltd.
Tomori noted that such arrangements were often used by speculators to acquire mineral assets without engaging in actual mining activities.
He stressed that the Federal Government remained committed to sanitising the sector and ensuring that mineral resources contribute meaningfully to national development.
The ministry therefore urged Nigerians and members of the international community to disregard what it described as attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine ongoing reforms in the country’s mining sector.
