ICYMI: Mining Industry: Women Keep Mining SMEs Going
+Mining Industrialists: Preference for Female Business Leads
Mining Industry: Women Keep Mining SMEs Going
A unique gender disparity has been observed among Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprises, the 2023 Social Impact Report shows.
Research shows that skilled women are becoming industrialists in the mining sector, and those who have access to loans are investing in the mining business.
While male industrialists outnumber females in every other industry reported in 2022, it is the other way around for the mining sector of SMEs.
However, women entrepreneurs in small-scale mining companies have not increased. They only outnumber the males because the number of the latter has declined much more significantly by 2022.
This general decline in the number of small-scale mining industrialists coincides with the decline in the output of the mining sector as a whole.
It is on women now to sustain productivity in the mining sector.
As of 2022, there were 11,784 female mining entrepreneurs in Nigeria while there are 10,738 males.
More than 1 Industry: Women in Whole and Retail Trade and Real Estate SMEs
However, Mining SMEs are not the only ones where female industrialists have outnumbered men.
As of 2021, there were more women industrialists than men in Whole and Retail Trade and Real Estate SMEs.
Mining Industrialists: Preference for Female Business Leads
A Premium Times report shows that women with means and knowledge about the mining business sponsor different roles and make profits from buying and selling, while the ‘‘illiterates’’ are employed as laborers. These categories of people earn less.
‘‘For instance, Mrs Esther Yakubu has been sponsoring, buying and selling tin over the last two years since she first ventured into the business. When she first started in 2018, she had only N10,000 and had to get a loan from the FJK company where she works. Ever since then, she has been able to carry out enough business. Through this, she has been able to buy a piece of land and train herself through school.’’
Also, the report revealed that business is for both genders but there is a business preference with females as people like to work with them.
“It is favorable for both men and women, there is no discrimination, strictly business. If you know the business as a woman, you will make money.
“All you have to do is to be diplomatic with people. In fact, sometimes the laborers prefer working with women, because when things get tough, if it’s man-to-man, it may lead to fighting, but with a woman that is less likely to happen,” a source explained.
In essence, as with other sectors, empowering women with knowledge, technical and entrepreneurial skills in mining can steady the economic output of that sector in periods of decline as the 2020 to 2022 period proved to be.
Mining Innovation: Inclusivity Drives Sustainability
The World Bank proposed ways for the government, organisations, and agencies to achieve equal representation in the mining industry, especially in opportunities that promote female participation.
The brief also recommends some approaches to leverage representation in the mining industry through policy, partnership and possible interventions.
Also, a research on the ‘Evolving Role of Women in the Mining Industry’ advised on the need to embrace gender diversity and the promotion of women in the sector to drive innovation, productivity and sustainability.
‘‘Companies must leverage all available resources and talent as the mining industry seeks to remain competitive in an increasingly globalized market. Embracing gender diversity and promoting the full participation of women in the sector can provide a strategic advantage for mining companies, driving innovation, productivity, and sustainability.
“Investing in women's empowerment and ensuring equal opportunities for all, the mining industry can secure its long-term success and contribute to broader social and economic development.’’
Thanks for reading this edition of SenorRita. It was written by Kafilat Taiwo and edited by Oluseyi Olufemi.