en.Wedoany.com Reported - The Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, has launched a new initiative called the "Early-stage Minerals Exploration and Research Grant Endowment" (EMERGE), aimed at catalyzing investment, innovation, and research in the country's solid minerals sector.
Developed by the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and implemented through the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), EMERGE seeks to bridge the historical financing gap that has constrained early-stage mineral exploration in Nigeria. In his keynote address, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, revealed that the sector's revenue has grown from ₦16 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion by the end of 2025. Alake described EMERGE as "a transformative intervention that will unlock deep opportunities across the mining value chain."
According to a statement published on the NGF's social media account, the initiative introduces three funding streams: Exploration Grants, designed to de-risk early-stage field investigations; Critical Minerals Grants, focusing on innovative mineral processing technologies; and Research and Development Grants, specifically dedicated to supporting geoscience and processing research in higher education institutions. The statement noted that beneficiaries will also gain access to the EMERGE Accelerator Programme, which provides technical training, business advisory, and investment readiness support.
The NGF delegation at the launch was led by Director-General Dr. Abdulateef Shittu, accompanied by Senior Solid Minerals Analyst Aisha Yaman and Head of the Liaison Office Fatima Usman Katsina. The statement added that the Forum's active participation underscores its commitment to driving reforms that strengthen solid minerals governance. As a long-standing partner of the Ministry and the SMDF, the NGF will continue to advocate for collaboration between the federal and state governments to promote sustainable resource management, attract private investment, and accelerate economic diversification across all 36 states.
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