The mining sectors never fund the Africa Cup, according to Hajiya Fatima Shinkafi, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Solid Minerals Development Fund (SMDF). In a recent briefing in Abuja, Shinkafi clarified that reports suggesting the SMDF sponsored the African Cup were completely false. The SMDF, established in 2007, aims to attract investors and boost economic development in the Nigerian mining sector. Shinkafi expressed surprise at the reports, stating that she had never funded the African Cup of Nations or any other extraneous expenses. She emphasized that the functions of the SMDF are distinct from those of the Natural Resource Development Fund (NRDF) and that the SMDF had only been capitalized last year. Shinkafi also highlighted the importance of stakeholders in the mining sector stepping up their game to achieve the sector’s development goals. She commended the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) for its 2023 report, which aims to inform policies for increased revenue in the sector and the overall economy.
