Abuja: The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has called on Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) to utilize its mineral and intellectual resources to create a world-class centre for mining excellence. Alake conveyed this message during a meeting with the University’s Governing Council, led by Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Alake’s call aligns with a statement released by his Special Assistant on Media, Lara-Owoeye-Wise. The minister emphasized the importance of bridging academic knowledge with practical application in the fields of exploration, extraction, and processing. He highlighted the potential for the university to play a significant role in the mining value chain.
Alake pointed out that the commercial value of the minerals available to OAU could reduce the university’s dependency on government funding. He encouraged the institution to seek private-sector partnerships to unlock the commercial potential of its mineral assets. He noted that OAU’s technical expertise serves as an advantage in attracting investors to such ventures.
The minister also outlined the Federal Government’s recent initiatives, which include opening designated bitumen blocks for competitive bidding by qualified investors. He clarified that while the university owns the land, the ownership of mineral resources falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government, as stipulated by the Constitution and relevant mining laws.
Alake commended OAU for its contributions to training professionals in Nigeria’s mining industry and urged the university to enhance its efforts in mineral exploration, research, innovation, and commercialization. He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to fostering a transparent and investment-friendly regulatory environment that ensures responsible mining and sustainable economic benefits for the nation.