The Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) will assume responsibility for collecting mineral royalties from mining operators nationwide, effective January 1, 2026. This follows a meeting on April 2, 2026, in Abuja between Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake and NRS chairman Zacch Adedeji, where both parties agreed on a collaborative framework. The shift is based on the Nigeria Tax Laws 2025, signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on June 26, 2025, which grant NRS authority over all federally collectable revenues. While NRS takes over revenue collection, the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development will retain its technical and regulatory role, including providing mineral pricing data and geological information.
A joint statement released Friday through Dare Adekanmbi, Special Adviser to the NRS chairman, confirmed the agreement and outlined plans for a nationwide sensitisation programme to guide operators on royalty filing. A fully digital royalty administration system will also be developed to streamline the process. Regular technical meetings between the two institutions will ensure coordination and prompt resolution of challenges. Mining operators are expected to comply with filing and payment requirements under the new framework.
Handing mineral royalty collection to NRS shifts real financial control away from the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, a move triggered by the Nigeria Tax Laws 2025. With Zacch Adedeji's agency now in charge, the credibility of revenue reporting will rest on NRS's ability to enforce compliance transparently. This centralisation could reduce leakages, but only if the promised digital system is implemented without delays. For Nigerian miners, the change means dealing with a more powerful tax authority, not necessarily a more supportive regulator.
