The Federal Government has launched the Mine-Tech University Innovation Pod (Mine-Tech UniPod) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in a major move aimed at transforming Nigeria’s mining sector from a raw mineral export industry into a technology-driven industrial economy.
The initiative, unveiled on Friday, is part of the Federal Government’s broader effort to reposition Nigerian universities as centres for innovation, research commercialisation, industrial development and entrepreneurship. The Mine-Tech UniPod is expected to connect education, enterprise, research and the private sector to create practical solutions for the country’s growing mineral economy.
Speaking during the launch, Vice President Kashim Shettima said the facility represents a strategic intervention under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. The Vice President, who was represented by the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, said Nigeria must move beyond exporting raw minerals and begin focusing on value addition, processing and innovation-led industrial growth.
According to him, Nigeria possesses more than 44 commercially viable minerals valued at over $1 trillion, yet the solid minerals sector has continued to contribute below its true potential to the economy.
He said the global demand for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, renewable energy systems, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing has created new opportunities for countries with strong mineral deposits, adding that Nasarawa State is strategically positioned because of its lithium, tantalite, gemstone and lead-zinc resources.
“The Mine-Tech UniPod is designed to serve as a platform where students, researchers, mining professionals, investors and environmental experts can collaborate on practical innovations that support Nigeria’s mineral economy,” he said.
Shettima also disclosed that the Federal Government is aggressively 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.
According to him, about 160,000 Nigerian youths are currently receiving training in approximately 1,200 TVET centres across the country. He added that over one million applications were received shortly after the reopening of the TVET programme portal.
The Vice President further revealed that the government plans to train an additional 100,000 youths in the coming months to prepare them for emerging sectors of the economy.
He also announced that seven UniPods with different focus areas have already been established across Nigeria. The thematic areas include Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture, Manufacturing and Trade, Industrial Technology, Resilience Technology, Green and Blue Technology, and Mine-Tech Innovation.
The Mine-Tech UniPod was developed with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The innovation facility is expected to support minerals development through advanced research, prototyping, innovation support and technology transfer.
The facility houses four specialised laboratories, including the Mineral Intelligence Laboratory, Materials and Processing Laboratory, Geo-Spatial Innovation Studio, and the Green Mining and ESG Technology Hub.
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State described the project as a timely intervention that would position the state as a major centre for mining innovation and industrial technology in Nigeria.
According to the governor, the state government will provide a solar mini-grid to ensure stable electricity supply for the facility and guarantee uninterrupted operations.
He also urged investors, development partners and private sector stakeholders to take advantage of the innovation ecosystem being created through the initiative to support entrepreneurship, research, job creation and technology transfer for young Nigerians.
Sule noted that Nasarawa State’s large deposits of lithium and other strategic minerals place the state at the centre of the global transition toward clean energy and advanced manufacturing.
He said the state government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for responsible mining activities and industrial investments.
The launch ceremony attracted top government officials, development partners and academic leaders, including representatives of the Vice President, the Deputy Governor of Benue State, representatives of the Plateau State Government, officials of UNDP, the Chancellor of Nasarawa State University HRH Chindo Yamusa, Vice Chancellor Sa’adatu Hassan Liman, Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government Labaran Shuaibu Magaji PhD, SAN, and members of the National Assembly.
Nigeria Startup News reports that the Mine-Tech UniPod initiative reflects Nigeria’s growing commitment to technological advancement, youth empowerment, sustainable mining development and innovation-driven economic growth.
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