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The executive secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) Hajiya Fatima Umaru Shinkafi has been elected into the Class of Honorary Fellows of the Nigerian Society of Economic Geologists (NSEG) and presented with the Honorary Fellowship Award in recognition of her support for the Society and commitment to advancing geoscience profession and Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
The award was presented on Monday at the opening ceremony of NSEG’s 5th Annual International Conference in Kaduna.
The election followed a decision of the Society’s council at its 80th meeting held on September 26, 2026.
According to a statement on Monday by Idowu Jokpeyibo,
head, Corporate Communications Department (SMDF), the recognition highlights the importance of collaboration between institutions that finance the mining sector and geoscience professionals whose expertise supports mineral discovery, resource assessment and sustainable development.
Under Hajiya Shinkafi’s leadership, SMDF continues to advance its mandate of unlocking financing for Nigeria’s mining sector, with a focus on mineral exploration, research, investment mobilisation and the sustainable development of the country’s mineral resources.
A key intervention, for instance, is the Early-Stage Mineral Exploration and Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE), an SMDF-funded programme designed to provide catalytic funding for early-stage mineral exploration, critical minerals development and research and development.
EMERGE tends to address critical financing gap in the mining sector by supporting exploration and research initiatives at stages when projects may not yet attract conventional private investment.
The programme aims to unlock Nigeria’s mineral potential, promote local value addition and help promising projects to progress towards investment readiness.
SMDF therefore recognises that stronger geoscience capacity is essential to reducing exploration risks, improving geological knowledge and identifying economically viable mineral deposits.
The Fund remains committed to working with professional bodies, research institutions, government agencies, exploration companies and development partners to strengthen Nigeria’s mineral exploration ecosystem and build a more competitive mining industry.
Hajiya Shinkafi’s recognition by NSEG therefore underscores the value of professional collaboration in advancing mineral exploration and the sustainable development of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
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