Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office generated N8.1 billion between January and October 2024, Director-General Obadiah Nkom told a Senate oversight delegation at its Abuja headquarters on Monday, a record.

Nkom put cumulative revenue since the cadastre’s inception at N36.048 billion, and said 100 per cent of collections are remitted to the Federal Government’s Treasury Single Account.

He told the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, chaired by Senator Sampson Ekong, that earnings from 2019 to October 2024 accounted for 75 per cent of the total.

Revenue for 2023 through October 2024 stood at N13.194 billion, which Nkom said represented a 63 per cent increase over the N8.094 billion recorded in the corresponding period from 2021 to September 2022.

He attributed the rise to greater transparency, stronger enforcement and digitalisation that streamlined licensing and revenue collection, alongside efforts to shorten processing times and distribute mining rights equitably.

Nkom also briefed the committee on the cadastre’s role in issuing mining licences and permits and on efforts to streamline operations.

In a report from the News Agency of Nigeria, Nkom listed insufficient funding and inadequate office space among the agency’s challenges.

He said the premises is housed by part of the World Bank and that the office rents the building, with rent payments a recurring difficulty. He described the space as congested.

On litigation, Nkom said the cadastre has faced court cases since its inception and recorded almost 100 per cent success in them. He said the office works with law enforcement agencies on security.

Ekong said the visit was aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in the mining sector and at ensuring the cadastre met its obligations in line with federal guidelines, with a view to raising mining’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy.

He said the committee had taken note of the issues raised, would review the documentation the cadastre provided, and pledged continued support for the agency.

NAN reported that the oversight visit was aimed at evaluating the cadastre’s adherence to regulatory standards, reviewing its operational efficiency and identifying potential areas for improved resource management.

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