Segilola deepens roots in Osun communities with empowerment, education projects

By Chioma Obinna

In a country where host communities around mining sites often lament neglect and environmental degradation, Segilola Resources Operating Limited, SROL, operator of Nigeria’s first commercial gold mine in Osun State, is charting a different course that puts community empowerment and human capital development at the centre of its operations.

Just last week, the company deepened its social investment drive through the 2025 edition of the Segilola Women Initiative Programme (SWIP) and its Scholarship Scheme, both designed to build resilience and improve livelihoods in its host communities of Iperindo, Odo-Ijesha, and Imogbara.

The twin ceremonies, held on October 17, 2025, at the Iperindo Community New Town Hall, drew over 600 participants, including community leaders, government officials, and beneficiaries.

More than 90 community members benefitted this year — 60 students through the scholarship scheme and 30 women entrepreneurs through the empowerment programme.

Across rural Nigeria, women remain at the heart of local economies but are often excluded from productive opportunities. Since its launch in 2021, SROL’s Women Initiative Programme has sought to change that narrative, helping more than 100 women gain financial independence through skills and equipment support.

This year’s beneficiaries received business equipment such as freezers, sewing and stoning machines, digesters, grinders, and gas burners with cooler sets — tools expected to boost small-scale enterprises and enhance income generation.

According to the company, the initiative aligns with its belief that women’s economic inclusion is vital for community stability and long-term development.

“At Segilola Resources, we believe that genuine and lasting impact begins with people — by empowering them through education, enterprise, and opportunity,” said Madhurii Sarkar-Amoda, Community Development and Stakeholder Manager at SROL.

“Our empowerment and scholarship programmes are designed to provide immediate support while building the foundation for long-term self-reliance.”

The Segilola Scholarship Scheme targets outstanding students from host communities to encourage academic excellence and reduce barriers to education. This year, 35 secondary school students and 25 tertiary institution undergraduates were honoured for exceptional performance.

Beyond financial support, the best-performing students received laptops, school bags, and plaques — a move the company says is aimed at bridging the digital divide among rural learners.

Community leaders, including HRM Oba Isaiah Adedeji, the Tirimi of Iperindo (represented by Town Planner Omoniyi Temitope), commended the initiative, noting that education remains one of the most powerful tools to break cycles of poverty in mining communities.

Beyond education and women’s empowerment, the company is also tackling unemployment through its Youth Empowerment Transport Scheme. Under the 2024 phase, three community members — Lawrence Omole, Tunde Awe, and Olanrewaju Abiodun — received minibuses to support income-generating activities and improve mobility in Odo-Ijesha.

For communities historically burdened by unemployment and limited access to opportunity, such initiatives represent more than CSR — they are lifelines.

Experts have long argued that Nigeria’s mining industry must balance resource extraction with human development. Segilola’s growing community footprint — from its women’s initiative to education and youth schemes — is being viewed by local observers as a model for responsible mining in the country.“By nurturing education, supporting entrepreneurship, and creating opportunities for young people and women alike, we are investing in the human potential that drives sustainable progress,” Sarkar-Amoda said.

With its continued interventions in Osun State, Segilola Resources Operating Limited is demonstrating that mining companies can indeed go beyond gold extraction to build inclusive growth — a lesson other operators in Nigeria’s extractive sector may need to learn.

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