By Stella Odueme
Finally, the Women In Mining (WiM) Africa and international partners have validated and endorsed the strategic 2025-2030 Action plan to move women in mining from survival to significance in the minerals value chain across the continent.
The endorsement was done on Thursday during the 2025-2030 WiM Africa Action Plan Validation workshop webinar tagged ” Empowering Women, Safeguarding Children, Transforming Mining, Shaping the Future.”
This continental milestone validated WiM-Africa’s Action Plan, aligned with the Africa Mining Vision (AMV), the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and other notable continental frameworks for progress.
The action plan according the Executive Director of WiM Africa, and covener, Mrs. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, is the group’s collective roadmap response with strategic focus on capacity building, policy advocacy for women in mining and host communities as well as economic empowerment and sustainable development.
She explained that the flagship programmes include multi-minerals beneficiation laboratory to be located in Nasarawa State in Nigeria, leadership and technical training and value addition and Africa Continental Free Trade Area AFCFTA among others.
Already, Mrs. Ogaji disclosed of a $150 million blended financing implementation framework (2025-2030) aligned with the Africa Union agenda 2063 with key funding channels.
While expressing joy and gratitude to everyone who contributed to the action plan which she noted involved painstaking consultations and research, she maintained that the time has now come for action to translate the plan into meaningful impacts for women in the continent.
The action will include; “building laboratories and regular hubs, strengthening host communities and resilience, empowering women-led cooperatives and safe mining zones among others. Today, we validate not just a plan but a continental movement.”
She also announced a new partnership with Women in Mining Business | WiMBIZ South Africa, a dynamic platform dedicated to advancing women and girls in MiningHostCommunities.
According to her, the partnership directly advances WiM-Africa’s Strategic Focus Areas and 7 Point Program Agenda by strengthening coalitions, advocating for the rights of women, children, and girls in mining host communities, and promoting inclusive policies that safeguard their well-being.
“Our work with WiMBIZ SA is about empowering mining host communities, strengthening livelihoods, and ensuring that women take their rightful place in value creation at the heart of Africa’s mining transformation.
“It opens pathways for empowerment by ensuring that women and girls are active participants in value addition, and community development. Importantly, it reinforces our shared commitment to transform mining host communities from vulnerable spaces into hubs of dignity, safety, and opportunity—anchored in beneficiation, processing, and sustainable impact,” Dr. Asokoro-Ogaji stressed.
While endorsing the WiM Africa 2025-2030 action plan, the first Lady of Islamic Republic of Mauritanian, Mrs. Mariem Mint Vadel Dah, commended WiM Africa for the work it has continued to do to uplift women in the mining value chain sector.
She highlighted her programmes in empowering women in her country, urging WiM Africa to keep the flag flying.
In her goodwill message Dr. Amany Asfour, President of the Africa Business Council (AfBC), who spoke as a champion of Africa’s private sector development and regional integration, called for action towards transforming African minerals such as gemstones and others to attract the right value.
Key speakers, including Maureen Nneka Mba, Head of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank)’s MANSA Digital Initiative, among others who gave insights into action plan, hailed WiM Africa for the initiative.
