Alake’s Aide Challenges UK Report on Tony Blair’s Role in Nigeria Mining Dispute

Kehinde Bamigbetan, Special Adviser to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has challenged a British newspaper report questioning former United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair’s role in advising Nigeria amid a dispute over revoked mining licences.

Bamigbetan issued the rebuttal in response to a report published on October 18, 2026, which raised concerns about whether Blair’s advisory work with Nigeria could conflict with British strategic interests in securing lithium supplies.

The dispute involves Jupiter Lithium and its Nigerian partners, Basin Mining Limited and Range Mining Limited, whose mineral licences were revoked by Nigerian authorities.

Bamigbetan argued that the report did not adequately consider the regulatory circumstances behind the revocations. He maintained that the companies lost their licences because of unpaid statutory annual service fees, rather than an attempt by the Federal Government to frustrate British investment.

According to the aide, Basin Mining Limited owed N1.223 billion in outstanding fees to the Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office. He said the authorities issued several notices before revoking the affected licences and that legal proceedings had commenced to recover the outstanding amount.

He also questioned the suggestion that Nigeria’s engagement with the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change could undermine British national security interests, stating that the institute and the Federal Government had denied that it held a contract to advise the Nigerian government.

Bamigbetan urged the parties to resolve the dispute through established legal channels rather than international media campaigns. He alleged that Steve Davis, whom he identified as Jupiter’s promoter, had pursued an international campaign against the government following the revocations.

The aide traced the dispute to reforms introduced by Alake after his appointment in August 2023. He said the ministry had prioritised enforcement of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and stricter compliance with financial and regulatory obligations.

According to him, the government revoked at least 1,663 mining licences in November 2023 over regulatory defaults. He added that affected operators were subsequently given a three-month window to submit complaints and seek redress.

Bamigbetan maintained that mining operators were required to fulfil their statutory obligations and that disagreements with regulatory decisions should be addressed through the appropriate legal processes.

The controversy has drawn attention to Nigeria’s lithium resources, which are important for manufacturing batteries used in electric vehicles and other technologies. The British report questioned whether the dispute could affect British access to the mineral and raised concerns about the role of Blair’s institute in its engagement with Nigeria.

However, Bamigbetan insisted that the licence revocations were regulatory actions and should be assessed on the basis of the applicable laws and the companies’ compliance with their obligations.

The dispute remains contentious, with the Federal Government defending the revocations on regulatory grounds while Jupiter challenges the treatment of its investment and associated mining rights.