The Nigerian Indigenous Women in Mining and Natural Resources Organisation (NIWIMNRO), on Friday, received a leadership award from EnergyNet in recognition of its efforts to advance women’s participation and leadership in Nigeria’s mining and extractive sector.

The award presented in Abuja, acknowledges NIWIMNRO’s contributions to promoting gender inclusion and empowering women across the mining value chain.

Executive Director of NIWIMNRO, Mrs. Felicia Dairo, described the recognition as a validation of years of advocacy, community engagement and commitment to ensuring women are not excluded from opportunities in the mining and natural resources sector.

Dairo described the award as a validation of the organisation’s commitment to empowering women and transforming mining communities across Nigeria.

She said the award celebrates the resilience and achievements of women who continue to break barriers in an industry traditionally dominated by men.

She said: “This recognition is not just about our organisation; it is about the women who continue to break barriers in a sector that has traditionally been dominated by men. It is a celebration of their resilience, determination and contributions to the growth of the mining industry.”

NIWIMNRO’s interventions Founded to address gender disparities in the extractive sector, NIWIMNRO has focused on strengthening women’s capacity across the mining value chain through advocacy, training, policy engagement, research, and community-based interventions.

The organisation has increasingly become a voice for gender-responsive mining governance, advocating for policies and programmes that improve women’s access to opportunities, decision-making spaces and resources within the sector.

Over the last year, NIWIMNRO has expanded its community interventions to improve livelihoods and well-being in mining communities.

According to the organisation, more than 200 women artisanal miners across six states have been trained in technical skills, safety practices and financial management. It has also provided medical support and personal protective equipment (PPE) to women miners while installing two solar-powered boreholes to improve access to clean water in mining communities.

In her remarks, Editorial and Content Manager of EnergyNet, Ms Charlotte Lamb, commended NIWIMNRO for training women miners on their rights, safety and financial management.

Lamb said the organisation had also organised women into cooperatives capable of holding licences and entering formal commercial arrangements within the mining sector.

She also commended its efforts to establish aggregation hubs where lithium, gold and tin could be collected, graded and properly integrated into the value chain.

She said: “Africa is richly endowed with both natural and human resources. However, unlocking the full potential of these resources requires intentional efforts to ensure that women are included, empowered and supported to lead. When women thrive, communities prosper, and industries become more resilient.”

She thanked EnergyNet’s team for believing in NIWIMNRO’s vision and for walking the journey “with us”, noting that the recognition marks another milestone in its journey to build a more inclusive extractive sector, one where women are not merely participants but key drivers of transformation and sustainable development.

She reaffirmed NIWIMNRO’s commitment to expanding opportunities for women artisanal miners and promoting inclusive policies across the extractive industry.