Alake Urges OAU to Develop World-Class Mining Centre

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has urged Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, to establish a world-class centre of excellence in mining, leveraging its mineral resources and intellectual capacity.

Alake made the call while receiving a delegation from the university’s Governing Council, led by Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, during a courtesy visit to the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in Abuja.

The minister said the proposed centre should bridge the gap between academic knowledge and the practical extraction and processing of Nigeria’s mineral resources.

He noted that OAU possessed both mineral assets and technical expertise that could be developed into a major economic opportunity for the institution and the country.

According to Alake, the commercial value of minerals available to the university could help reduce its dependence on government subvention and strengthen its financial sustainability.

He encouraged the university to develop partnerships with private-sector investors to unlock the value of its mineral assets, stressing that its technical expertise could give it an advantage in attracting investment.

The minister also emphasised the importance of connecting research, education and practical mining operations, particularly as Nigeria seeks to increase local participation and value addition in the solid minerals sector.

The proposed centre could provide a platform for research, training, innovation and modern approaches to mineral exploration, extraction and processing.

Among the delegation members were Ambassador Edward Sarki, Joseph Abaagu, Professor Olatunbosun Adedayo and Barrister Yinka Ayanfola.

The engagement comes amid efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s solid minerals industry and expand the contribution of the sector to national economic development.

For OAU, the proposed mining centre could provide an opportunity to convert its academic and mineral resources into tangible economic value while strengthening its role in developing expertise for Nigeria’s mining industry.

Alake’s proposal also highlights the importance of collaboration between universities, government institutions and private investors in transforming Nigeria’s mineral resources into commercially viable enterprises.

By combining its geological knowledge, research capacity and mineral assets with investment and modern technology, the university could create a model for stronger university-industry collaboration in the mining sector.

The initiative is expected to support skills development, encourage research commercialisation and promote greater value addition within Nigeria’s mineral resources industry.