The Federal Government has unveiled the Mining Tech UniPod at Nasarawa State University as part of efforts to reposition Nigerian universities as centres of innovation, industrial competitiveness and technology-driven economic growth.
The initiative was unveiled on behalf of Vice President Kashim Shettima by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa.
According to a statement issued on Saturday by the Federal Ministry of Education, the UniPod was developed through collaboration involving the ministry, United Nations Development Programme, Tertiary Education Trust Fund and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
The statement said the facility was designed to strengthen research commercialisation, industrial innovation and enterprise development within Nigeria’s mining sector.
Alausa described the project as a transformative intervention aimed at converting universities into innovation ecosystems capable of producing entrepreneurs, industrial solutions and globally competitive talent.
He said Nigeria’s mineral resources could only be fully maximised through value addition, local processing and technology-driven industrialisation.
The minister added that the UniPod features specialised laboratories focused on mineral intelligence, materials processing, geospatial innovation and green mining technologies, integrating artificial intelligence, digital mapping and sustainability systems into industrial problem-solving.
The Federal Government also reaffirmed its commitment to expanding similar innovation hubs across the country to strengthen skills development, research commercialisation and university-industry collaboration.
The statement was signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations at the ministry, Mrs Boriowo Folasade.
