By Felix Khanoba
Nigeria’s efforts to transform its universities into centres of industrial innovation gained fresh momentum on Friday as the Federal Government unveiled the Mine-Tech University Innovation Pod (Mine-Tech UniPod) at Nasarawa State University, with a strong push to move the nation away from exporting raw minerals toward a technology-driven mining economy.
Speaking during the unveiling ceremony, Vice President Kashim Shettima described the Mine-Tech UniPod as a strategic platform aimed at linking education, research, enterprise and industrialisation.
Represented by the Minister of Education, Tunji Alausa, the Vice President said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda focused on human capital development, innovation and youth empowerment.
He stated that despite Nigeria’s possession of over 44 commercially viable minerals estimated at more than $1 trillion, the solid minerals sector has yet to contribute optimally to the nation’s economy.
According to him, Nigeria is now prioritising value addition, industrial processing and innovation-driven growth instead of reliance on raw material exports.
Shettima noted that the global economy is increasingly dependent on critical minerals used in electric vehicles, semiconductors, renewable energy systems and advanced manufacturing. He added that Nasarawa State stands to benefit significantly from the growing market because of its rich deposits of lithium, tantalite, gemstones and lead-zinc.
He explained that the Mine-Tech UniPod would provide a collaborative platform for students, researchers, environmental experts, investors and mining professionals to develop practical solutions for Nigeria’s mineral economy.
The Vice President further disclosed that the Federal Government is implementing the Nigeria Education Sector Renewal Initiative to strengthen STEMM education, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), digital literacy, research commercialisation and partnerships between universities and industries.
He revealed that approximately 160,000 youths are currently receiving training in about 1,200 TVET centres nationwide, while over one million applications were submitted shortly after the programme portal reopened.
According to him, plans are underway to train an additional 100,000 youths in the coming months to equip them for emerging sectors of the economy.
Shettima also announced that seven UniPods with different thematic areas have already been established across the country, covering Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Trade, Industrial Technology, Resilience Technology, Green and Blue Technology, and Mine-Tech Innovation.
The Mine-Tech UniPod, powered by the United Nations Development Programme Nigeria and supported by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, is designed to promote innovation in minerals development through a specialised laboratory, prototyping space and technology transfer office for students and innovators.
The facility features four specialised laboratories, namely the Mineral Intelligence Laboratory, Materials and Processing Laboratory, Geo-Spatial Innovation Studio and Green Mining and ESG Technology Hub.
In his remarks, Nasarawa State Governor Abdullahi Sule described the facility as a timely intervention that would position the state as a leading centre for mining innovation and technology-driven industrial development in Nigeria.
He disclosed that the state government would provide a solar mini-grid to ensure stable electricity supply and uninterrupted operations at the facility.
The governor also urged investors, development partners and private sector operators to take advantage of the opportunities created by the innovation ecosystem to support research, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and job creation for Nigerian youths.
Sule added that Nasarawa State’s huge deposits of lithium and other strategic minerals place it at the forefront of the global shift toward clean energy and advanced manufacturing, stressing that the government remains committed to creating a conducive environment for responsible mining and industrial investments.
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, Arc. Sonny Echono, disclosed that an additional 20 UniPods would be established across the country before the end of the year to strengthen innovation and enterprise development in Nigerian universities.
