The Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Hajiya Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, has been elected an Honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Economic Geologists (NSEG) in recognition of her support for the society and commitment to advancing geoscience and Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
She received the Honorary Fellowship Award at the opening ceremony of NSEG’s 5th Annual International Conference on Monday, October 19, 2026, at Raffles Suites Hotel, Rabah Road, Kaduna.
Her election followed a decision by the society’s council at its 80th meeting held on September 26, 2026.
According to a statement issued by Idowu Jokpeyibo, Head of the Corporate Communications Department of the SMDF, the award underscores 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 Shinkafi’s leadership, the SMDF has continued to pursue its mandate of mobilising 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.
One of the Fund’s key initiatives is the Early-Stage Mineral Exploration and Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE), a programme designed to provide funding for early-stage mineral exploration, critical minerals development and research and development.
The programme seeks to bridge a critical financing gap in the mining sector by supporting exploration and research projects at stages when they may not yet attract conventional private-sector investment.
Through EMERGE, the SMDF aims to unlock Nigeria’s mineral potential, promote local value addition and help promising projects advance towards investment readiness.
The Fund maintains that strengthening geoscience capacity is essential to reducing exploration risks, improving geological knowledge and identifying economically viable mineral deposits.
It is therefore committed to collaborating 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.
Shinkafi’s election as an NSEG Honorary Fellow highlights the importance of professional collaboration in advancing mineral exploration, attracting investment and promoting the sustainable development of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
