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Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, on Thursday promised to ensure women do not remain at the back seats but leaders and key decision makers in the ongoing transformation in the sector.
Stressing that mining is a critical driver of economic growth, he said that women participation in the sector is not only a matter of fairness, but a necessity for sustainable development.
The Minister spoke during the first International Mining Women Conference held in Abuja, themed “‘Empowering Women In The Mining Sector: Promoting Gender Equality, Economic Empowerment And Investment Opportunities”
When given the right opportunities, the Minister, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr Mary Ogbe, said women have the potential to drive national and global economic growth.
According to him, it is imperative that an enabling environment is created that will support female entrepreneurs, professionals and investors in the mining and metal industries.
Women, the Minister noted, will bring unique perspectives, skills and leadership styles that will enhance productivity, social and environmental sustainability in the mining industry.
He pointed out that the theme of the conference, speaks directly to the urgent need to bridge the gender gap in the solid mineral sector, adding women for a long time have faced systemic challenges that limited their full participation in mining.
These limitations, the Minister said ranged from non access to funding to policy restrictions and social barriers.
“We will take a bold step to reshape the narrative and ensure that women are not just part of the mining sector, but are also leaders and key decision makers in this transformation”, the Minister declared
Commending the organisers of the conference, he said, for providing “a crucial platform that showcases these achievements, address the challenges women face and foster partnership that will further support and amplify women participation in mining”.
The First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, urged women to take advantage of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, by working together, supporting one another, and inspire more women to take advantage of the mining industry in order to better their lives.
The mining sector, she noted, provides a platform for women to prosper in a traditionally male-dominated sector.
The First Lady, who was represented by the Wife of the Vice President, Hajiya Nana Shettima, also encouraged women in the country to rally around and key into the implementation road map and the opportunities that lie ahead.
She said “It takes courage, patience and boldness to persevere in a male dominated field.
“Women belong to every industry, and buying and mining is not exception. Continue to dig deep, break barriers and let your strengths shape the future”, she added.
The First Lady also described the conference as an initiative aimed at processing diversity, empowering women, enhancing productivity, innovation and overall sustainability of the sector.
“This serves as a significant step towards improving gender equity in the mining sector”, she said
On her part, the Minister of Women Affairs, Imaan Suleiman-Ibrahim, described the inequalities in the mining sector as deeply troubling.
She noted that the 6.8% women that make up the mining workforce are mostly engaged in artisanal and small scale mining.
This, she said, reflected marginalization in ownership, financing and leadership within the sector.
“This is an economic inefficiency we can no longer afford”, she stated.
Noting that the solid mineral sector contributes an estimated 7% to Nigeria’s GDP and has the potential to drive massive job creation and industrialization, she said the sector cannot achieve its full potential if women remain underrepresented.
“Women in this sector are already demonstrating resilience, and this needs to be backed by deliberate policies”, she stated.
The Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals, Hon.Jonatha Gazza Gbefwi said it is in line with best global practices to include women in mining techniques and promoting artisanal mining.
According to Miss Nesir L. Mola, the Deputy Representative of women United Nations in Nigeria said “studies have shown that companies with a diverse workforce report higher innovation, as women bring unique perspectives to problem solving and operational efficiency.”
Gender responsive mining, she said, is a way to attract more investors to the sector.
In her presentation, organiser of the Conference, Ngozichi Okorie said women need to be more coordinated in order not to be isolated or segmented.
According to her, the conference aims to change that by working collaboratively and investing in women owned businesses.
“We are ready to take the bull by the horn by ensuring that we attract meaningful development and investments to women owned businesses.
“That’s the only way we can break the barriers of gender inequality”, she said.
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“I agree with your points, very insightful!”