African women miners expand grassroots network across continent

Women in Mining Africa (WiM-Africa) is expanding its grassroots presence through the establishment of national and community-based chapters across the continent.

The organisation aims to reshape the mining sector in Africa by promoting more inclusive and equitable practices.

The community-based chapters serve as localised platforms for engagement, providing structured forums where women miners, students, cooperatives, civil society, and sector stakeholders work together to advance WiM-Africa’s Seven-Point Program Agenda.

The chapters are currently live in over 10 countries, including Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Malawi, Namibia, Burkina Faso, Sierra Leone, Cameroon and South Sudan.

WiM-Africa’s chapter expansion model is focused on advancing strategic areas, including youth leadership, mineral value addition, digital advocacy, environmental, social, and governance (ESG), and safety.

The organisation is also establishing Men Allyship Chapters, which play a vital role in promoting respectful allyship, safe workplace cultures, and co-leadership models.

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According to Comfort Asokoro-Ogaji, Executive Director of WiM-Africa, “The power of this movement lies in its ability to decentralize leadership, ignite local action, and connect thousands of women and allies across borders with a unified voice.”

The organisation’s chapter expansion model is increasingly referenced by development partners for its alignment with Agenda 2063 and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

WiM-Africa’s expansion aims to create safe mining zones, support women-led cooperatives, and promote responsible and inclusive governance at the grassroots level.

The organisation is also positioning African professionals in the diaspora to contribute directly to local value chains, business linkages, and mineral sector innovation.

The Secretariat encourages women, youth, and professionals to explore opportunities for engagement by starting a chapter or connecting with their national focal point.

“By working together, WiM-Africa aims to build a more just and equitable mining industry in Africa”, the Secretariat noted.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.