The Federal Government introduced a new funding initiative on Wednesday aimed at accelerating early-stage mineral exploration, supporting research institutions, and enhancing local processing of Nigeria’s mineral resources.
The programme, named the Early-Stage Mineral Exploration and Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE), was launched in Abuja by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake. It is designed to provide catalytic funding for explorers, universities, and companies working on critical minerals, while addressing long-standing financing gaps in the mining sector.
Speaking at the launch, Alake described EMERGE as a strategic intervention under the government’s reform agenda to reposition solid minerals as a key driver of economic diversification and industrial growth. The initiative will be implemented through the Solid Minerals Development Fund.
Alake noted that sector revenues have grown significantly, rising from N16 billion in 2023 to N38 billion in 2024, and surpassing N70 billion in 2025 a growth of over 337 percent in two years.
The minister explained that EMERGE operates through three streams: Exploration, Critical Minerals, and Research and Development. The exploration stream funds grassroots work to discover new mineral deposits; the critical minerals stream supports searches for energy transition minerals and local processing technologies; and the research stream funds geoscience and mineral-processing research.
He added that applications will be assessed strictly on merit and administered independently by PwC to ensure transparency.
The Executive Secretary of the Solid Minerals Development Fund, Hajiya Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, said EMERGE addresses the persistent shortage of early-stage capital for exploration, critical minerals, and research and development, while encouraging private sector participation and local value addition.
