Africa’s mining sector is set for a historic shift as Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) secured continental backing for its five-year Action Plan (2025–2030) a $150 million roadmap dedicated to multi-mineral beneficiation, gender equity, and sustainable transformation.
Validated at a high-level workshop attended by African First Ladies, policymakers, development partners, and private sector leaders, the plan is being hailed as a landmark move to steer Africa away from raw mineral extraction toward value addition and inclusive participation.
“This is not just a document, but a continental commitment to action,” said Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, Executive Director of WiM-Africa. “For the first time, women miners, youth leaders, and their allies have a clear roadmap to move from the margins of survival to the center of Africa’s mineral wealth creation and governance.”
The plan includes the establishment of regional multi-mineral beneficiation laboratories, expansion of national WiM chapters, investment-readiness support for women-led enterprises, and ESG programs targeting environmental degradation and gender-based vulnerabilities.
A flagship WiM-Africa Institute for Leadership, Sustainable Mining & Value Addition will also serve as a hub for training, innovation, and youth leadership development.
Declaring the plan validated, Her Excellency Mrs. Mariem Mint Dah, First Lady of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania, described it as a “living document” that will guide women’s empowerment and inclusive mining transformation. She stressed that empowering women in mining is “not optional but a developmental necessity,” citing Mauritania’s progress with women now holding 30% of ministerial positions and rising in geology and engineering.
Aligned with the AU’s Agenda 2063, Africa Mining Vision, AMREC, PARC, AfCFTA, and the AU Gender Equality Strategy, the endorsement positions WiM-Africa at the forefront of continental mining reforms. With commitments now flowing from governments, DFIs, NGOs, and corporate partners, WiM-Africa has urged stakeholders to turn pledges into tangible support, ensuring women and communities directly benefit from Africa’s vast mineral wealth.
