The Federal Government has accused embattled mining company Jupiter Ltd of planning a “campaign of calumny” against Nigeria ahead of President Bola Tinubu’s scheduled state visit to the United Kingdom.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development alleged that the company’s purported campaign aims to discredit ongoing reforms in the mining sector and mislead the international community regarding the revocation of certain mineral licences.
In a statement on Sunday, Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, dismissed claims that Nigeria seized a British lithium project under armed guard as “false and misleading.” He added that the Federal Government has no legal or contractual relationship with any firm known as Jupiter Lithium and reiterated that Nigerian mining laws prohibit foreign companies from directly holding mineral titles.
“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development that an embattled mining firm, Jupiter Ltd, plans to orchestrate a campaign of calumny against the Federal Government of Nigeria during the state visit of President Bola Tinubu to the United Kingdom,” the statement read.
The controversy reportedly stems from the revocation of mineral titles belonging to Basin Mining Ltd, a Nigerian company linked to Australian national Steve Davis. The government said the revocation followed the company’s failure to meet statutory financial obligations, with unpaid annual service fees totaling N2.494 billion for 2024 and 2025 covering five mineral titles.
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The ministry also rejected claims that the titles were reassigned to a Chinese company, calling the allegation a fabrication. Tomori further accused Davis of using multiple companies, including Comet Minerals Ltd, Basin Mining Ltd, Range Mining Ltd, Northern Numero Ltd, Sunrise Minerals Ltd, and Iron Ore Mining Ltd, to acquire mineral titles without engaging in actual mining activities.
“The Federal Government of Nigeria cannot and will not be intimidated or blackmailed into abandoning reforms by the antics of any individual or company,” Tomori said. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming the mining sector into a key driver of economic growth and urged Nigerians and international stakeholders to disregard attempts by “discredited individuals” to undermine the country’s reform agenda.
The statement comes ahead of President Tinubu’s visit to the United Kingdom from March 18 to 19, 2026, following an invitation from King Charles III. The visit is expected to focus on strengthening diplomatic and economic ties, including trade, investment, security, and migration cooperation.
Nigeria has in recent years intensified efforts to develop its solid mineral resources, including lithium, gold, iron ore, and rare earth elements, as part of a strategy to diversify the economy away from oil dependence.