The Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) are poised to enhance collaboration to ensure that only companies that are duly registered and up to date with their statutory filings and activities remain in operation in the mining sector.
This development was revealed during a courtesy visit by the Registrar-General of CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji to the Director General of NMCO, Engr Obadiah S. Nkom at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.
Welcoming the CAC delegation, Engr Nkom expressed appreciation for the visit and affirmed MCO’s readiness to boost the collaboration of both agencies by providing comprehensive data on registered companies that are in full compliance with annual return requirements.
The MCO boss commended CAC’s efforts in promoting corporate governance and compliance across sectors, while noting that MCO is working closely with several other government agencies including the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), NEITI, NFIU, EFCC, NSCDC, DSS, Police, among other agencies to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the mining sector.
Engr Nkom further highlighted the agency’s migration to the digital eMC+ system launched on November 1, 2022 which he described as a significant step towards enhancing accessibility, automation and regulatory effectiveness.
He noted the efforts of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, to reposition the mining sector, saying it is yielding fruits as the agency generated an unprecedented N10.9bn between January to April, 2025.
The MCO boss therefore lauded President Bola Tinubu and Dr Alake for leading the charge to redirect focus to the nation’s solid minerals, stressing that reforms since the advent of the Tinubu administration has made the mining sector globally competitive.
In his remarks, the CAC Registrar-General emphasized the need for enhanced compliance among mining companies and noted that the collaboration between the two agencies is rooted in law, with both created by statutory mandates.
“We are here to strengthen collaboration and enforce compliance in line with the provisions of the law. We want to ensure that only companies with active and legal standing benefit from licenses and privileges granted by the government,” Magaji stated.
He emphasised that companies operating in the mining sector must be compliant with CAC regulations, including timely filing of annual returns in order to qualify for and retain mining licenses.
He also added that all licenses issued by MCO are to be granted only to entities that are duly registered and active in CAC’s records.