Nigeria’s minister of mines said on Wednesday that 924 expired mining licences had been cancelled immediately.

The country now wants investors to apply for the affected permits, which will be given out on a “first come, first served” basis.

In a statement, Mines Minister Dele Alake said that 528 exploration licenses, 20 mining leases, 101 quarry licenses, and 273 small-scale mining licenses would be impacted.

As part of major changes in the mining industry, more than 1,600 mining titles were taken away in November for not paying the required fees.

Alake said that the action was taken to stop “licence racketeering,” which is when people or businesses buy titles to minerals that are worth a lot of money and then sell the licenses to the highest price.

“By creating a secondary, black market to pawn mineral licences, the unsuspecting and unwary investor is misled into believing that he can only obtain licence by patronising the black market. This discourages investment,” Alake said.

“It is our belief that this decision will sanitise the licensing system by penalising those who have commercialized the opportunities offered by the sector into a bazaar, he added.

Nigeria wants to attract investors to a mining industry that hasn’t been developed much in the past. To do this, they are giving incentives like not having to pay taxes on profits and sending them back to Nigeria in full.

Nigeria has had trouble getting value from its huge mineral riches because it didn’t invest in or take care of them.

After making it harder for foreign companies to get mining licenses last year, Africa’s biggest oil provider will only give them to companies that process their minerals in the country itself. The country is also rich in lithium, gold, and limestone.

Chama Mwansa, Executive Director of the Chandarika Women and Youths Foundation, has attributed media biases to the similarities in coverage between private and state-owned media outlets.

Mwansa spoke with Zambia Monitor in an interview in Mansa, Luapula province.

She dwelt on the importance of media freedom, freedom of speech, and digital rights in promoting social and economic development.

Mwansa said, “The media plays a crucial role in society. Media freedom allows for comprehensive coverage of various perspectives, whether from the opposition or the ruling party.”

She noted the importance of media partnerships in facilitating coverage of events such as International Women’s Day, emphasizing the necessity of media freedom for objective reporting.

However, Mwansa pointed out issues contributing to media bias in the country, noting the tendency for certain media outlets to be perceived as aligned with either the government or the opposition.

This alignment, she argued, could limit journalists’ ability to cover events objectively, as they may face obstacles based on perceived biases.

Regarding freedom of expression, Mwansa emphasized the need to address the underlying causes of media bias, which can inhibit individuals from expressing themselves freely without fear of being labeled.

She called for a mindset shift to promote freedom of expression, particularly within the NGO sector, where individuals may face undue criticism based on perceived political affiliations.

On the topic of digital rights, Mwansa highlighted the benefits her organization has experienced, particularly through social media platforms like Facebook.

She noted that social media had enabled increased visibility of their activities and facilitated the reporting of gender-based violence cases that were previously hidden.

Mwansa noted the importance of media freedom, freedom of expression, and digital rights in fostering a more inclusive and informed society and called for a collective effort to address biases and promote a more balanced media landscape.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.