Segilola Gold Mine Empowers 33 Women, Awards Scholarships to 63 Osun Students

Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL), the Nigerian wholly owned subsidiary of Thor Explorations Ltd, has empowered women entrepreneurs and awarded scholarships to students in its host communities in Osun State as part of its 2026 community development initiatives.

Through the 2026 Segilola Women Initiative Programme (SWIP) and the SROL Gold Scholarship Programme (SGSP), a total of 96 beneficiaries from Iperindo, Odo-Ijesha and Imogbara received support aimed at improving livelihoods, expanding economic opportunities and supporting education.

Under SWIP, 30 women entrepreneurs received equipment suited to their businesses. The items included freezers, sewing and stoning machines, digesters, multi-purpose grinders, gas burners and cooler sets.

SROL said the support was designed to help the beneficiaries improve productivity, expand their businesses and develop more sustainable sources of income. Three previous SWIP beneficiaries, one from each host community, also received additional equipment to scale up their businesses.

In Iperindo, one beneficiary was upgraded from a domestic sewing machine to an industrial model to increase production capacity. In Odo-Ijesha, a previous recipient of a pepper grinder received a flour and maize grinder to diversify her processing business, while a beneficiary in Imogbara received weaving and button-cover machines to expand an existing sewing enterprise.

Since its launch in 2021, SWIP has supported more than 200 women across SROL’s host communities with practical tools and equipment aimed at promoting financial independence and greater participation in the local economy.

One returning beneficiary, Adesuyi Titilope Elizabeth, expressed appreciation for the support, saying the new equipment would enable her to serve more customers and increase her income.

Alongside the women’s empowerment programme, SROL awarded scholarships to 63 students, comprising 28 secondary school students and 35 tertiary students from the host communities. The SROL Gold Scholarship Programme recognises students for strong academic performance and provides assistance toward their education.

Top-performing students in each category also received laptops and other learning devices to support digital education and encourage continued academic performance.

Speaking at the event, SROL Community Development and Stakeholder Manager, Madhurii Sarkar-Amoda, said the company viewed its host communities as partners in progress and that women and young people remained central to entrepreneurship and sustainable development.

The 2026 awards were presented during ceremonies held on August 20 at the Iperindo Community New Town Hall. SROL said the initiatives form part of Thor Explorations’ wider commitment to creating shared value in communities surrounding its operations through investments in education, entrepreneurship, livelihoods and skills development.