Federal 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.

This is also as the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, disclosed that prospective beneficiaries of the EMERGE Programme will be selected strictly through a transparent, merit-based process, warning applicants against seeking political influence or personal connections.

The government 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.

Speaking at the launch in Abuja, the Executive Secretary, Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF), 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.

“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.

Remarking at the event, 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.

Meanwhile, the minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Dele Alake, disclosed that prospective beneficiaries of the newly-launched Early-Stage Mineral Exploration & Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE) Programme will be selected strictly through a transparent, merit-based process, warning applicants against seeking political influence or personal connections.

Speaking at the official launch of the EMERGE Programme organised by the Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF) in Abuja, Mr. Alake said applications would be independently administered by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to guarantee transparency, accountability and fairness.

According to the minister, only the quality and strength of proposals submitted by applicants will determine successful applications.

“There is no room for connections, no shortcuts. Let nobody say they want to see the minister or ask SMDF officials to put in a word. Only the strength and solidity of your proposal will earn you the grant,” he said.

Alake described EMERGE as a landmark intervention aimed at accelerating mineral exploration, geoscience research and value addition in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector. He noted that the initiative is the first dedicated grant programme for geoscience and mineral processing research in the country’s history.

He explained that the programme would support early-stage explorers, researchers and institutions through funding provided under three strategic streams: exploration, critical minerals development, and research and development.

According to him, EMERGE will fund grassroots exploration activities to identify and prove new mineral deposits, support the search for critical minerals required for the global energy transition, and finance research into geoscience and mineral processing technologies that can be deployed within Nigeria.

“For the first time in the history of our country, we are offering a purposeful, dedicated grant for geoscience and mineral processing research,” the minister said.

Alake said the programme is designed to drive local value addition by supporting the entire mining value chain, from exploration and extraction to processing, refining and the production of finished goods within Nigeria.

“EMERGE enables us to move through the entire value chain from digging to refining and eventually to finished products, all within Nigeria,” he stated.

The minister noted that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy of transforming the mining sector through increased exploration, local value addition and investment in research-driven innovation.

He added that EMERGE complements ongoing reforms that have boosted investor confidence and strengthened governance in the sector, including the formalisation of artisanal miners through cooperative societies, the establishment of Mining Marshals to combat illegal mining, digitisation of licensing processes and the revocation of more than 3,000 dormant mining licences.

He further disclosed that Nigeria’s local value-addition policy has attracted major investments, including the $1.3 billion AFC-SMDF lithium refinery project, which he described as the largest single mining investment in the country’s history.

The minister commended the Executive Secretary of SMDF, Fatima Umaru Shinkafi, for spearheading the programme and other initiatives aimed at transforming the sector and positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for mineral exploration and processing.