Askari Metals Ltd (ASX:AS2) earlier this week confirmed it is ready to begin drilling at its Nejo Gold Project in Ethiopia, with mobilisation scheduled for early 2026 following supportive discussions with government officials.
The company said it received operational and administrative backing at both the federal and regional levels in Ethiopia, paving the way for a multi-target exploration campaign.
CEO Gino D’Anna told investors the Phase 1 drill program will begin at the Goodi-Goodi 1 and 2 targets, located on a nine-kilometre mineralised corridor. These targets were selected due to the extent of historical exploration. The company will aim to validate historical drill hits and expand the mineralised zones.
In addition to drilling, the company will undertake trenching, infill sampling, and geophysics, focusing on gold and also the high-grade copper target known as Katta.
Askari said that mobilisation of crews and equipment is expected to begin early in the new year, with drilling and related exploration to run in parallel.
The company also announced it will recommence exploration at the Uis Project in Namibia, where tin mineralisation remains a key focus. Askari highlighted that strong tin prices provide a favourable environment for continued advancement of the project.
“The next six months will be very busy as far as news flow is concerned,” D’Anna said, referencing both Nejo and Uis. The company expects multiple campaigns to run concurrently, providing consistent updates for shareholders through the first half of 2026.
Askari is advancing both gold and base metal exploration across Africa, with a strategy focused on validating historical results and uncovering new mineralised zones through targeted drilling.
Proactive: Welcome back to Proactive Newsroom. I'm now joined by Askari Metals Executive Director and CEO, Gino D’Anna, live from Ethiopia. Good to have you on, Gino.
Gino D’Anna: Thank you. Pleasure to be on the show again.
Proactive: Gino, you're on the ground in Ethiopia. I understand you've met with local officials over the past few days. What can you report back from those discussions?
Gino D’Anna: The meetings have been very positive. Engagement at both federal and regional levels has been strong. Askari has walked away from those meetings knowing that it’s got full operational and administrative support for the future development and exploration of Nejo.
Proactive: Phase 1 of the upcoming drilling campaign has now been released to the market. What will you focus on this time, and how soon do you expect to begin?
Gino D’Anna: Drilling will initially target the Goodi-Goodi 1 and 2 areas, which sit along a nine-kilometre mineralised corridor that remains open in both directions. These zones have seen the most historical work, so we'll look to validate those past results and expand the mineralisation. At the same time, we’ll conduct further exploration on parallel structures and at the high-grade copper Katta target. Mobilisation of drill crews is expected early in the new year.
Proactive: The year is ending, and 2026 is just a few weeks away. What can investors expect from both Uis and Nejo in the first few months of the year?
Gino D’Anna: The key catalyst will be drilling at Nejo. Having Askari drill its first holes and validate historical results could be a significant value driver. We’ll be conducting trenching, geophysics, and infill work alongside that. While most of the focus is on gold, we’re also prioritising the Katta copper target. In parallel, we’re recommencing work at the Uis Project in Namibia. It’s a high-grade tin project, and with tin prices remaining high, it’s an excellent time to progress that development. The next six months will be very busy for news flow and exploration activity across both projects.
Proactive: Certainly quite a bit happening at both Uis and Nejo. This was Askari Metals Executive Director and CEO Gino D’Anna, live from Ethiopia. It's been great having you on. Thank you so much.
Gino D’Anna: Thank you.