The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has urged the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, to leverage its vast mineral and intellectual resources to establish a world-class centre of excellence in mining that bridges the gap between academic research, mineral extraction and processing.

Alake made the call while receiving a high-powered delegation from the university’s Governing Council, led by Professor Ralph Akinfeleye.

The Minister said the commercial value of mineral resources available to the institution could significantly reduce its dependence on government subventions and contribute to its overall financial sustainability, his Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, said in a statement on Sunday.

Other members of the delegation included Ambassador Edward Sarki, Barr. Joseph Abaagu, Professor Olatunbosun Adedayo and Barrister Yinka Ayanfola.

Alake encouraged the university to explore private-sector partnerships to unlock the commercial potential of its mineral assets, noting that OAU’s technical expertise and intellectual capacity placed it in a strong position to attract investors.

“You have the resource endowment underground, and you have the intellectual capacity. You can bring in investors through a joint venture, and they can provide the capital and machinery. At the same time, the University earns revenue and your experts participate as consultants and technical partners,” he said.

The Minister also explained that the Federal Government had restructured the development of Nigeria’s bitumen resources by opening designated bitumen blocks to competitive bidding by qualified investors.

He stressed that ownership of land does not automatically confer ownership of mineral resources beneath it, noting that such resources are vested in the Federal Government under the Constitution and relevant mining laws.

“The University owns the land, but where there are mineral resources, their exploration and exploitation must still be undertaken in accordance with the law. We must find a win-win situation that protects legitimate interests while upholding the Federal Government’s regulatory responsibility,” Alake said.

The Minister commended OAU for its longstanding contributions to the training of geologists and other professionals in Nigeria’s mining industry, urging the institution to deepen its involvement in mineral exploration, research, innovation and commercialisation.

He emphasised the need for universities to translate academic knowledge into practical solutions, enterprises and economic opportunities.

“The gap between intellectualism and application must be closed. Universities should not only generate knowledge; they should translate that knowledge into solutions, enterprises and economic value for society,” he said.