The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has raised concerns that Jupiter Ltd is planning to disrupt President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s upcoming state visit to the United Kingdom. The ministry said the company is orchestrating a “campaign of calumny” aimed at embarrassing the President during the historic two-day visit, which he will undertake with First Lady Oluremi Tinubu.
The state visit, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, will see King Charles III and Queen Camilla host the Nigerian President at Windsor Castle. It is Nigeria’s first such state visit to the UK in 37 years.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the ministry accused Jupiter Ltd of planning protests and a media campaign to discredit the government over its enforcement of mining regulations. Tomori described the company’s claims as a “tissue of falsehoods” meant to divert attention from ongoing reforms in the mining sector.
The controversy stems from the revocation of mineral titles previously held by Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company reportedly fronted by Australian national Steve Davis. The licenses were revoked after the company failed to pay statutory annual service fees totaling N2.494 billion for mineral titles 45454ML, 45117ML, 45118ML, 40532ML, and 40533ML for the 2024 and 2025 fiscal years.
The ministry clarified that the federal government has no legal relationship with “Jupiter Lithium,” noting that Nigerian law prohibits granting mining licenses directly to foreign companies.
Tomori accused Davis of operating as a “mining speculator,” managing six different companies to acquire mineral titles without conducting actual mining operations. The ministry said such practices block genuine investors and contribute to illegal mining activities.
Addressing rumors that the revoked titles were handed to a Chinese firm, the ministry dismissed the claim as a “complete fabrication.” Tomori said, “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. Unfortunately for him, the government’s strict application of the regulations caught up with him.”
The ministry stressed that the ongoing reforms are aimed at transforming the mining sector into a significant contributor to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and said the federal government would not be intimidated by international pressure or protests organised abroad.
“The nefarious activities of the past that stunted the growth of the mining sector will no longer be tolerated,” the statement warned, while reaffirming that Nigeria remains open for responsible investment. Incentives include tax waivers on imported mining equipment and full repatriation of profits for companies that comply with the law.
The government urged the international community to disregard the planned protests, describing them as desperate attempts by discredited individuals to circumvent transparency.
Over the weekend, Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Kehinde Bamigbetan, responded to false claims by Jupiter Ltd in a publication titled “Nigeria Seizes British Lithium Project Under Armed Guard.” In his response, titled “In Nigeria’s Mining Sector, The Law Is No Respecter of Persons,” Bamigbetan exposed the activities of Steve Davis and Hamish MacDonald, highlighting how their deceptive operations ultimately faced the full force of Nigerian law.
