Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) has intensified its continental drive to prepare children and young people for responsible participation in Africa’s future natural resource and minerals economy through its NextGen programmes under the WiM-Africa Action Plan 2030.

The organisation said Africa’s mineral transformation must go beyond resource extraction, investment and export opportunities to include deliberate investment in children, young people, teachers, technical and vocational education and training (TVET), girls’ leadership, environmental responsibility and long-term human capital development.

Speaking on the initiative, Executive Director of WiM-Africa, Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, said Africa must begin preparing its future mineral workforce long before young people enter universities, technical institutions or the labour market.

The initiative was highlighted during a recent engagement with the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Liberia, where WiM-Africa formally presented its NextGen programmes and explored opportunities for country-level collaboration, adaptation and possible integration into Liberia’s education system.

Asokoro-Ogaji noted that the engagement in Liberia forms part of WiM-Africa’s broader Africa-wide implementation movement and is aligned with the organisation’s mission to support Ministries of Education, relevant government agencies, schools, TVET institutions and education partners across African countries in preparing the next generation for meaningful participation in the solid minerals, critical minerals and natural resource economy.

The two flagship initiatives are the WiM-Africa Future Minerals Leaders Club and the WiM-Africa NextGen Mining & Leadership Academy.

The WiM-Africa Future Minerals Leaders Club is designed for primary school learners aged 8–13. It introduces children to natural resources, minerals, environmental responsibility, safety awareness, leadership, teamwork, values and responsible citizenship through age-appropriate school club activities.

The WiM-Africa NextGen Mining & Leadership Academy is designed for secondary schools and TVET-linked institutions, targeting learners aged 13–20. The Academy focuses on responsible mining, geoscience awareness, ESG, mine safety, gender inclusion, leadership, communication, mineral value chains, enterprise pathways, career readiness and mentorship.

Speaking on the continental relevance of the programs, Asokoro-Ogaji, stated that Africa must begin preparing its future mineral workforce long before young people reach university, technical institutions or the labour market.

She further noted that Ministries of Education across Africa have a foundational role to play in shaping the continent’s future minerals leadership pipeline.

Asokoro-Ogaji said: “The future of Africa’s mineral and natural resource economy will not be determined only by what is in the ground. It will be determined by what is built in the minds of children and young people today.

“The Ministry of Education is not peripheral to mining transformation. It is foundational. Africa must begin earlier, from primary school, secondary school, TVET, mentorship, school clubs and structured leadership exposure.”

WiM-Africa said its NextGen programmes are being advanced under the Action Plan 2030 and designed to be adaptable to the different education systems, natural resource profiles and development priorities of African countries.

The Liberia engagement therefore represents a country-level opportunity to introduce the model formally to the Ministry of Education, identify areas of alignment, and explore how the programs can be adapted to Liberia’s education priorities, school systems, TVET pathways and natural resource development context.

She explained that the programs are not designed to disrupt existing national education priorities or operate only as standalone initiatives. Rather, they are flexible, school-based and modular interventions that can be integrated into existing program components, including school clubs, STEM promotion, TVET readiness, girls’ education, career guidance, environmental awareness, foundational learning enrichment and education-to-employment transition activities.

WiM-Africa recognises that Ministries of Education across Africa already have priority programs, ongoing reforms and sector implementation commitments. The organisation therefore seeks to work with Ministries in a practical and non-disruptive manner, adapting the NextGen programs to each country’s education system, development priorities, dominant natural resources, school structures and local context.

Asokoro-Ogaji added, “The programs align with Africa’s broader solid minerals and critical minerals agenda, including the Africa Mining Vision, value addition, local beneficiation, responsible mineral governance, women and youth inclusion, green skills, ESG awareness, TVET readiness and the transition from raw resource extraction to knowledge, innovation and leadership.

“WiM-Africa has developed implementation manuals, concept notes, session modules, facilitator guidance, reporting tools, country adaptation templates and results framework structures for the two programs.

“These resources are being made available as free open-source materials for Ministries of Education, relevant MDAs, public and private schools, rural schools, mining host communities, TVET institutions, women-in-mining organisations and implementing partners across Africa.

“Schools, Ministries, agencies and institutions that use the manuals are encouraged to give appropriate credit to WiM-Africa and to submit implementation reports through the reporting link provided in the manuals. Reports may include activity updates, school reports, photos, attendance records, implementation progress and lessons learned. This will support continental tracking, visibility, learning, quality assurance and technical support.”

WiM-Africa also reaffirmed its readiness to provide technical support through its pool of expert volunteers, including support from Dr. Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji and other specialists. Where funding is unavailable, WiM-Africa will provide virtual technical assistance, including Zoom-based training-of-trainers for teachers, school focal persons, volunteers and implementing teams.

The organisation is calling on Ministries of Education, relevant government MDAs, schools, TVET institutions, local governments, districts, counties, states, rural education authorities and mining host communities across Africa to join the ongoing movement to raise the next generation of African children who will lead the future of critical minerals and natural resource transformation.

WiM-Africa further invited development finance institutions, philanthropic organisations, foundations, private-sector mining companies, education-sector partners and development agencies interested in Africa’s growth to partner with Ministries of Education and relevant MDAs to support national adaptation, piloting and scale-up of the NextGen programs.

According to WiM-Africa, whether a school is located in a mineral-bearing community or not, every African child deserves to understand the value of natural resources, the importance of environmental stewardship, the role of education in national development and the opportunities available across Africa’s mineral and natural resource value chains.

The organisation said it remained committed to working with African governments, education ministries, schools, TVET institutions, women-in-mining organisations, development partners and private-sector actors to build a continent-wide pipeline of informed, confident and leadership-ready young Africans.