Abuja: The Nigerian Indigenous Women in Mining and Natural Resources Organisation (NIWIMNRO) has been honored with an award for its efforts to enhance women’s participation and leadership in Nigeria’s extractive sector. The accolade was presented by EnergyNet Ltd. on Thursday in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Ms. Felicia Dairo, Executive Director of NIWIMNRO, expressed that the award stands as more than just institutional recognition. It acknowledges the organization’s years of advocacy, community engagement, and continuous efforts to ensure women are not excluded from opportunities within the mining and natural resources sectors. Dairo emphasized that the recognition validates NIWIMNRO’s commitment to empowering women and transforming mining communities across Nigeria.
Dairo stated, “This recognition is not just about our organisation; it is about the women who continue to break barriers in a sector that has traditionally been dominated by men. It is a celebration of their resilience, determin
ation, and contributions to the growth of the mining industry.” The organization was founded to address gender disparities in the extractive sector by empowering women through advocacy, training, policy engagement, research, and community-based initiatives.
NIWIMNRO has emerged as a significant voice for gender-responsive mining governance. It advocates for policies and programs that enhance women’s access to opportunities, decision-making spaces, and resources within the sector. Over the past year, the organization has expanded its community interventions to improve livelihoods and well-being in mining communities. More than 200 women artisanal miners across six Nigerian states have received training to strengthen their technical knowledge, enhance safety practices, and improve their economic opportunities in the sector.
Recognizing the health and safety challenges faced by women miners, NIWIMNRO has also provided medical support and distributed personal protective equipment (PPE) to women working in minin
g communities. Beyond capacity building, the organization has invested in addressing critical community needs by installing two solar-powered boreholes in two states, providing clean water to underserved communities. Plans are underway to construct two additional boreholes, emphasizing the need for continued investment in women-led initiatives within the sector.
Dairo highlighted the importance of intentional efforts to ensure women’s inclusion, empowerment, and support in unlocking the full potential of Africa’s rich natural and human resources. She noted that when women thrive, communities prosper, and industries become more resilient. She expressed gratitude to the EnergyNet team for supporting NIWIMNRO’s vision and marked this recognition as another milestone in their journey to build a more inclusive extractive sector.
Ms. Charlotte Lamb, Editorial and Content Manager of EnergyNet, praised NIWIMNRO for its training initiatives that educate women miners on their rights, safety, and financial management.
She also commended the organization’s efforts to form cooperatives capable of holding licenses and entering formal commercial arrangements within the mining sector. Furthermore, Lamb acknowledged NIWIMNRO’s role in establishing aggregation hubs for lithium, gold, and tin, integrating them properly into the value chain.