The Nigerian Government has launched the Early-Stage Mineral Exploration and Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE), a new funding initiative designed to support mineral exploration, critical minerals development, and geoscience research across Nigeria.
Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) Executive Secretary, Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, said the programme was created to address the persistent shortage of early-stage financing for exploration and research in the mining sector.
She described EMERGE as a competitively awarded grant facility that will provide catalytic funding to explorers, universities, and research institutions, enabling promising projects to move from concept to proof and ultimately attract investment.
“EMERGE places catalytic funding directly in the hands of our explorers, universities and research institutions so that more promising projects can move from potential to proof,” she said.
According to Shinkafi, the initiative forms part of SMDF’s broader strategy to reposition mining finance in Nigeria and accelerate the development of a globally competitive minerals sector.
She noted that the programme complements other interventions by the Fund, including the AFC-SMDF Project Development Facility and the proposed 1.5 million metric tonnes per annum alumina refinery project, which she described as the largest mining investment commitment in Nigeria’s history.
The Executive Secretary stressed that EMERGE would strengthen the earliest stage of the mining value chain by supporting exploration activities, generating critical geological data, and funding research aimed at improving mineral processing and local value addition.
“Data is the new oil, and exploration is the foundation of mining development. You cannot build projects without knowing what is beneath the ground,” she said.
Also speaking at the event, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said the programme aligns with the Federal Government’s agenda to transform the mining sector into a major contributor to economic diversification.
Alake said EMERGE would support three key funding streams, exploration, critical minerals, and research and development, while helping Nigeria build a complete mining value chain from mineral discovery to processing and finished products.
Senior Manager at PwC, Oyekemi Ajayi, assured stakeholders that the application and evaluation process would be objective and transparent.
She disclosed that eligibility for the research grant stream is limited to Master’s and PhD researchers, university departments, and research institutions within Nigeria.
Eligible expenses include fieldwork, accommodation, laboratory testing, research materials, and other approved research costs.
According to programme guidelines, applicants must submit proof of enrolment, a research proposal, a letter of institutional support, and a detailed budget.
SMDF said applications for the EMERGE programme will open on July 10, with successful applicants receiving not only funding but also technical support and capacity-building opportunities aimed at developing bankable, investment-ready projects.
