….as MCO rakes N10.9bn revenue in 4 months

By Gabriel Ewepu

ABUJA – IN a bid to boost revenue generation, the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office, MCO, and the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, moved to synergize to ensure mining companies comply with the annual requirements.

In statement signed by the Head, Press, MCO, Mrs Okeke Grace Amara, the Director General, MCO, Engr. Obadiah Nkom, made this known during a courtesy visit by the Registrar-General, CAC, Hussaini Ishaq Magaji (SAN), at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

According to the statement, basically, only companies that are duly registered and up to date with their statutory filings and activities remain in operation.

In his remarks, Nkom maintained and assured MCO’s readiness to boost collaboration of both agencies by providing comprehensive data on registered companies that are in full compliance with annual return requirements.

Meanwhile, the MCO boss commended the CAC’s efforts in promoting corporate governance and compliance across sectors, nothing that the NMCO 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, The Nigeria Police amongst others to promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency in the mining sector.

He (Nkom) further highlighted the agency’s migration to the digital eMC+ system, launched on November 1, 2022, which he described as a significant step toward enhancing accessibility, automation, and regulatory effectiveness.

The MCO boss 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 Nigeria’s mining sector globally competitive.

Meanwhile, he noted that efforts of the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake to reposition the mining sector is yielding fruits as the agency generated an unprecedented N10.9bn between January to April, 2025.

In his remarks, the CAC Registrar-General emphasized the need for enhanced compliance among mining companies.

He noted that the collaboration between MCO and CAC is rooted in law, with both agencies created by statutory mandates, the CAC under Section 8 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), and the MCO under Section 5 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act.

“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 said.

He emphasized 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 added that all licenses issued by MCO are to be granted only to entities that are duly registered and active in CAC’s records.

Both agencies discussed modalities for data sharing, regulatory enforcement, and real-time information exchange to enhance statutory frameworks and ensure that all mining companies adhere strictly to legal and procedural requirements.