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The federal government has intensified efforts to strengthen geoscientific data, exploration, and professional skills to unlock Nigeria’s mineral wealth and drive growth in the mining sector.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr Dele Alake disclosed this on Monday at the 4th Annual International Conference and Training Workshop of the Nigerian Association of Exploration Geophysicists (NAEG) in Abuja.
The conference, themed “Geophysics: A Critical Driver in Resource Exploration, Environmental Management and Infrastructural Development,” brought together professionals and stakeholders in the geosciences and mining sectors.
Alake, represented by the Director of Planning and Special Projects at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Hadiza Godi, said geophysics remained critical to discovering Nigeria’s underground resources, protecting the environment, and providing reliable data for infrastructure development.
He said the Federal Government, through the NGSA, had expanded geological mapping and high-resolution airborne geophysical surveys, resulting in the identification of deposits of lithium, graphite, copper, manganese, rare earth elements, iron, lead, zinc and aluminium.
According to him, the government is also digitising geological archives and upgrading data management platforms to improve access to geological and geophysical information.
He said the move would reduce investment risks, promote transparency and attract more investors to the mining sector.
The minister further declared that Nigeria’s era of exporting raw mineral ores was gradually coming to an end, stressing that the government was encouraging mining companies to establish processing facilities locally.
He said local processing would retain more value in the country, create jobs and strengthen domestic supply chains.
Alake also commended NAEG for making technical training a key component of its annual conference, saying practical training would bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and industry demands.
Speaking earlier, NAEG President Akin George said the association had continued to promote professional development through training in geophysical data acquisition, processing, and interpretation.
He disclosed that the 2026 programme introduced artificial intelligence into the interpretation of exploration geophysical data.
George, however, called for a national conservation policy for strategic mineral resources, warning that Nigeria could lose valuable deposits if minerals continued to be extracted and exported without consideration for future generations.
He urged the government to identify and conserve strategic and high-grade deposits, particularly lithium, chromite, and other critical minerals that could become scarce and expensive to import in future.
The NAEG president commended the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Mining Cadastre Office for promoting local value addition through the establishment of mineral processing plants.
He said such facilities would create jobs and strengthen the national economy.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Prof Shehu Ahmed, represented by the Manager, Research and Innovation, Mr Wasiru Ahmed, pledged continued support for NAEG’s indigenous capacity-building initiatives through training, research, knowledge transfer and mentorship.
Former Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Prof Musa Sada, urged professionals to embrace continuous learning, noting that technology and professional practices were constantly evolving.
Similarly, President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, Rose Chundung Ndong, and President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Dele Ayanleke, pledged stronger collaboration among professional bodies.
The NGSA also urged NAEG to support efforts to properly archive exploration data, samples, drill logs and technical reports for research and national development.
The conference featured tributes to chairman of the NAEG Board of Trustees, Prof Deborah Ajakaiye, for her pioneering contributions to geophysics and the training of generations of Nigerian geoscientists.
Participants were also urged to embrace emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, to strengthen mineral exploration and Nigeria’s geoscience sector.
