Mining: WiM Africa Launches Empowerment Programme With N2.5m Grant To 100 Female Geoscience Students
By ABAH ADAH, Abuja
Women in Mining Africa (WiM Africa) through its implementing partner Richflood Foundation has officially launched its groundbreaking “NextGen Women in Mining” Initiative, aimed at empowering young women across Africa to pursue careers in the mining industry.
According to a statement, the programme aims to build capacity and provide financial incentives for female students pursuing mining-related courses in universities and polytechnics across Africa, while offering mentorship and career guidance to help them overcome challenges and build successful careers, thus addressing gender disparity in the mining sector and creating a strong network of future female leaders in mining who will drive innovation and sustainability.
“The initiative was successfully launched as a pilot in Northern Nigeria, where over 250 applications were received from female students between the age 18-25, studying mining-related disciplines.
After a rigorous selection process, 100 young women were shortlisted and received incentivized grant of ₦25,000 each.
The recipients are students from institutions such as Federal University Lokoja, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, and universities in Zamfara, Sokoto, and Niger states, among others,” the statement noted.
These young women, many from marginalised communities in the far north, face challenges such as insecurity, limited accessibility to resources, and gender biases. Despite these obstacles, they have shown incredible determination to pursue their dreams in traditionally male-dominated fields like Geology, Geophysics, Mining Engineering, Metallurgy & Materials Engineering, Industrial Chemistry and other related Geoscience courses.
Speaking at a mentorship session held to inspire and guide the beneficiaries on Saturday, 11 January, 2025, Dr Comfort Asokoro Ogaji, the Executive Director of WiM Africa, said: “The stories of these young women are both touching and inspiring. Despite the odds, they have chosen to break barriers and pursue their passion for mining.
“Our goal is to continue supporting them, not just financially but also through mentorship and capacity building, to help them become leaders in the industry.”
Dr Asokoro-Ogaji emphasised the importance of continued collaboration saying, “This initiative is a call to action for governments, educational institutions, and industry players to join us in investing in the future of women in mining create opportunities for the next generation.”
One of the beneficiaries, Ashfat Abbas, a Geology student from the University of Jos, shared her story, recounting how she had initially wanted to study Medicine and Surgery as she was told “Geology is for men”, but at a second thought refused to let societal norms deter her.
“I am deeply grateful to WiM Africa for this opportunity and platform,” she said.
In the same vein, many beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to WiM Africa and its implementing partner in Nigeria for their unwavering support and commitment to fostering a more inclusive mining sector.
According to the statement, following the success in Northern Nigeria, WiM-Africa is expanding the “NextGen Women in Mining” Initiative to East Africa, for which applications are now open for female students from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda who are studying mining-related courses. A total of 100 students will be shortlisted to receive mentorship and financial support.
It went further to state that looking ahead, the women-in-mining advocacy group aims to roll out the NextGen programme across other regions of the continent, targeting Southern and West African countries in subsequent phases.
“In addition to financial grants, and in collaboration with its Implementing partners and other stakeholders, the programme will include hands-on training, internship opportunities, and leadership development workshops to prepare the beneficiaries for impactful careers,” the statement noted.