NUMW's Hamza Muhammad Advocates for Mining Funding Support

Comr. Hamza Muhammad, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Mine Workers (NUMW), commended the SMDF-EMERGE funding program during a media engagement in Abuja, coinciding with Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary.

He expressed gratitude to the Federal Government for initiatives aimed at strengthening the mining industry. Muhammad emphasized that funding for mineral exploration is crucial and expressed confidence that the SMDF-EMERGE grants would address this critical gap.

He acknowledged the historical challenges in mining finance, noting a previous intervention fund of N5 billion raised in collaboration with the Bank of Industry in 2017, which could not be disbursed due to miners not meeting the required conditions. He appealed for NUMW's inclusion in the next phase of beneficiaries, stating that the union plans to establish a national database of mine workers, which would ultimately benefit the workforce by improving wages, working conditions, and employment opportunities.