The Director-General of the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO), Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom, has said Nigeria’s mining cadastre system has become a continental reference point for transparency, efficiency and regulatory certainty, dismissing claims that delays in mining licence approvals are discouraging investment in the sector.
According to Distinctnews, Nkom made the remarks during the Ministerial Roundtable and Masterclass sessions at the 2026 African Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit (AFNIS 2026) in Abuja, where he also unveiled a new framework designed to strengthen the social contract between mining companies and host communities.
Nkom said Nigeria’s legal and digital mining cadastre framework has virtually eliminated arbitrary delays in the processing and issuance of mineral titles, noting that the law prescribes a maximum of 30 days for exploration licences and 45 days for mining leases.
He added that, in many cases, approvals are granted well ahead of the statutory timelines.
“It is clearly stated in the law. Licensing is not arbitrary. In many cases, licences are issued within two weeks,” he said.
The NMCO boss disclosed that Nigeria’s mining cadastre model is increasingly attracting regional attention, revealing that technical experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have visited the country to understudy the system as part of efforts to harmonise mining cadastre frameworks across West Africa.
“Our system is becoming a model not just for West Africa, but for Africa as a whole,” Nkom said, adding that the harmonisation initiative is expected to provide investors with a more predictable and uniform regulatory environment across the region.
He stressed that the cadastre office strictly adheres to due process, including the issuance of formal notices and a 30-day compliance period before any mineral title is revoked.
“This is about accountability. If you do not meet the conditions, the law requires that you lose the title,” he said.
Responding to concerns over delays in obtaining mining licences, Nkom explained that most setbacks arise from applicants’ inability to fulfil statutory requirements, including obtaining landowner consent, submitting complete documentation and providing credible geological data.
“If an applicant cannot obtain consent within the stipulated time and fails to communicate, the delay cannot be attributed to the Mining Cadastre Office,” he said.
He also highlighted the high-risk nature of mineral exploration, noting that only a small proportion of exploration projects eventually develop into commercially viable mines.
“Out of ten exploration projects, you may not get two that become viable mining operations. That is why banks prefer to come in at later stages,” he explained.
Nkom further stated that recent foreign investments in Nigeria’s mining sector, estimated at more than $300 billion, have been encouraged by government policies promoting local value addition, particularly restrictions on the export of unprocessed mineral resources.
At the summit, the NMCO also unveiled a new framework on social licence to operate, presented on Nkom’s behalf by the Head of the Office’s Research, Development and Sustainability Unit, Muhammad Hannatu Indosire.
The framework argues that obtaining a mining title alone is no longer sufficient for sustainable mining operations.
“Mining title grants legal rights, but social licence grants legitimacy, while ESG principles sustain both,” Nkom said.
He maintained that the long-term success of mining operations depends on trust, transparency and equitable sharing of benefits with host communities.
To bridge the implementation gap, the NMCO is advocating a new generation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) that extend beyond financial compensation to include employment opportunities, skills acquisition, education, healthcare, infrastructure development and inclusive benefit-sharing.
According to him, sustainable mining can only be achieved when communities are genuine partners in mineral development.
“The future of mining will not be secured by extraction alone. It will be secured by trust, traceability, benefit sharing, cultural legitimacy and the faithful implementation of the social contract,” he said.
The reforms, he noted, reflect Nigeria’s commitment to building a mining industry that combines regulatory efficiency with responsible resource development, while positioning the country as one of Africa’s leading destinations for sustainable mineral investment.
