The Nigerian Government has launched the Mine-Tech University Innovation Pod (Mine-Tech UniPod), aimed at repositioning universities to become drivers of industrial growth.
The Mine-Tech UniPod was launched in order to transit the country from raw minerals exporting to a technology driven mining economy.
The Unipod located in the Nasarawa State University Keffi, NSUK in Nasarawa State north Central Nigeria was built by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Nigeria and supported by the Tertiary Eduction Trust Fund, TETFUND.
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Vice President of Nigeria, Kashim Shettima at the unveiling described the Mine Tech Hub as ‘a strategic intervention designed to connect education, research, enterprise and industrialisation.’
He said; “The country is now shifting from dependence on raw material exports to value addition, industrial processing and innovation-led growth.
“The Mine-Tech UniPod would serve as a platform for students, researchers, environmental experts, investors and mining professionals to collaborate on practical solutions for Nigeria’s mineral economy.”
According to him, although Nigeria has more than 44 commercially viable minerals valued at over $1trillion dollars, the solid minerals sector has continued to contribute below its full potential to the nation’s economy.
VP Shettima said the global economy is greatly relying on critical minerals required for electric vehicles, semi-conductors, renewable energy systems and advanced manufacturing, which are in abundance in Nasarawa State and other parts of the country.
“Nasarawa State is strategically positioned to benefit from the emerging market due to its vast lithium, tantalite, gemstone and lead-zinc deposits,” he said
The Mine-Tech UniPod in NUSK aims to foster innovation in minerals development, featuring a specialised laboratory, prototyping space, and technology transfer office to support students and innovators.
The facility houses four specialised laboratories, including the Mineral Intelligence Laboratory, Materials and Processing Laboratory, Geo-Spatial Innovation Studio and Green Mining and ESG Technology Hub.
Focused Areas
Seven other UniPods with different thematic focused areas have also 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 Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule described the facility as a timely intervention that would position the state as a major hub for mining innovation and technology-driven industrial development in Nigeria.
Govenror Sule said that “for sustainability the Nasarawa State government would provide as Mini-grid solar system to the center.”
“The state government would provide a solar mini-grid to guarantee sustainable power supply for the facility and ensure uninterrupted operations,” he said
The Governor also called on investors, development partners and private sector players to leverage the opportunities being created through the innovation ecosystem to support research, entrepreneurship, technology transfer and job creation for young Nigerians.
Govenror Sule noted that Nasarawa State’s vast mineral resources, particularly lithium and other strategic minerals, place it at the centre of the global transition toward clean energy and advanced manufacturing,.
“The state is committed to creating an enabling environment for responsible mining and industrial investments,” he said.
Resident Representative UNDP, Nigeria Elsie Attafuah in her remark said the mine Tech Hub has come to bridge the weak gap between knowledge and production, research and enterprise, talent and industry in Nigeria and the African continent.
Attafuah said that “the students see this unipod as a shift from an academic journey to an innovation journey, from learning about minerals to testing,designing, building, commercializing, and contributing to Nigeria’s industrial future.
“The Unipod is much bigger than a university laboratory. It reflected one of the central challenges that has slowed Africa’s scientific innovation and industrial transformation for decades. We have talent, intelligence, science, and ambition.”
The Executive Secretary of TETFUND Sunny Echono said additional 20 Unipod centres would be established across the country before the end of the year as part of efforts to deepen Innovation and enterprises development within Nigeria. Universities.
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