MDF administrator calls for targeted financing to expand women’s role in mining

Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, Administrator of Ghana’s Minerals Development Fund (MDF), has called for deliberate financing mechanisms to expand women’s participation across Africa’s mining value chain, describing women’s empowerment as critical to inclusive and sustainable development.

She made the call while speaking at the 2nd Annual AWIMA Leadership Awards, organised by the Association of Women in Mining in Africa (AWIMA), on the sidelines of the 2026 Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Wednesday, February 11.

In her address, Dr. Bisiw-Kotei highlighted the importance of financing women not only as workers but as owners, operators, and decision-makers in the mining industry.

She questioned why women could not be supported to acquire artisanal skills, operate heavy-duty mining equipment, manage value chains, and own licensed mining concessions, stressing that the answer lay in intentional policy and financial support.

She explained that the Minerals Development Fund was established to ensure that mining is transformational rather than merely extractive, particularly for mining communities, women, and future generations.

According to her, the Fund has prioritised training women technicians, supporting education in mining communities, assisting women-led mining enterprises with licensing and regulatory compliance, and leveraging institutional support to expand women’s participation in the sector.

Dr. Bisiw-Kotei also emphasised the need for governments to structure financial systems that support women through development banks, commercial banks, and special-purpose vehicles.

In this context, she referenced Ghana’s planned Women’s Development Bank, an initiative she said would serve as a key financing source for female entrepreneurs, including those in mining.

She paid tribute to AWIMA’s founding leadership and members as the association marked its 10th anniversary, noting its role in amplifying women’s voices, influencing policy, and reshaping narratives in a historically male-dominated industry.

Dr. Bisiw-Kotei described financing women as a nation-building strategy rather than charity, urging African governments, industry players, and policymakers to allocate resources intentionally, equip women with technical skills, and design inclusive policies that reflect demographic realities.

She called on stakeholders to act decisively to ensure that women play a central role in shaping Africa’s mining future.