The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has congratulated the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), Hajia Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, on her conferment with the Honorary Fellowship Award of the Nigerian Society of Economic Geologists (NSEG).
The NSEG conferred the fellowship on the SMDF boss at the opening ceremony of its 5th annual international conference and exhibition in Kaduna on Monday, 18th October 2026. The Society said Shinkafi earned the recognition in view of her support for geoscience and her contributions to the development of Nigerian solid minerals sector.
The Miners Association described Shinkafi as a respected leader, commending her contributions to the development of the Nigerian solid minerals sector and support for geoscience.
In a congratulatory message issued by its National Publicity Secretary on behalf of its leadership and members, MAN said the award recognised Shinkafi’s valuable contributions to the growth of the mining industry.
The association expressed pride in her achievements, wishing her greater success and impact in her efforts to advance the sector.
It also prayed for continued guidance and strength for the SMDF chief executive as she pursues her responsibilities in the solid minerals industry.
Fatima Shinkafi’s ongoing leadership at the Solid Minerals Development Fund has been widely commended for the reforms gained by the Agency under her watch. Among the goals is the developmennt partnership between the Agency and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), which has led to the SMDF-EMERGE Initiative. The scheme aims to de-rerisk the sector by providing grant to indigenous mining companies for early-stage mineral exploration projects in the country.
It is pertinent to note that the SMDF-EMERGE Inititiative is the first time that the federal government of Nigeria is supporting indigenous miners with grants for mineral exploration, a policy effort that will showcase the commitment of the federal government to ensuring security of mining investments in the country.
The grants are expected to be disbursed to successful companies soon.
