LAUTECH don urges FG to unlock Nigeria’s hidden earth resources beyond Niger Delta
pannigeriannews
3 min read
A Professor of Organic Geochemistry at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Professor Taofik Adewale Adedosu, has called on the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to take urgent and strategic steps toward harnessing Nigeria’s vast hidden earth resources beyond the Niger Delta region.
Prof. Adedosu made the call while delivering the 74th inaugural lecture of LAUTECH titled, “Revealing the Nation’s hidden treasures beyond the Niger Delta: Insights from molecular fingerprinting of earth resources.”
Adedosu stressed the need for collective national action aimed at unlocking Nigeria’s molecular and mineral wealth, stimulating innovation, and advancing a resilient knowledge-driven economy.
He noted that universities, national institutions, and research centres across the country must be equipped with modern analytical facilities capable of strengthening geochemical, geological, and geophysical investigations.
According to him, the Federal Government should intensify systematic investigations of inland sedimentary basins through integrated basin modelling, molecular fingerprinting, and source-rock characterization in order to reduce exploration risks, transform uncertainty into opportunity, and attract responsible investment into the sector.
The Ibadan-born scholar further emphasised that environmental geochemistry should become central to the petroleum value chain through baseline environmental assessments, continuous monitoring, early contamination detection, and effective remediation measures aimed at safeguarding ecosystems and ensuring sustainable resource utilisation.
The don also advocated the integration of biomass conversion, biocatalyst development, and biofuel production into national energy planning, saying such initiatives would diversify energy sources, reduce carbon emissions, stimulate rural economies, and create employment opportunities for Nigerians.
He urged the Federal Government to create an enabling environment backed by sound policies, sustainable funding, and critical infrastructure that would empower each geopolitical zone to develop its unique resource endowments.
He explained that equitable and coordinated investment across regions would promote economic diversification, reduce regional disparities, strengthen national cohesion, boost government revenue, create jobs, and accelerate inclusive national development.
Professor Adedosu maintained that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped treasures extending far beyond crude oil deposits in the Niger Delta, stressing that scientific innovation and strategic investment in earth resource exploration remain critical to the country’s technological sovereignty and long-term economic prosperity.
As part of his recommendations, the professor stated that sustained investment in natural products research would catalyse drug discovery, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical innovation, thereby driving economic diversification beyond crude oil dependence.
He further urged federal and state governments to work synergistically toward developing solid mineral resources through coordinated policies capable of accelerating industrial growth and positioning Nigeria as a major player in critical minerals needed for renewable energy, electronics, and aerospace industries.
According to him, national policy should prioritise local beneficiation of minerals before export in order to ensure value addition, create jobs, and reduce dependence on imported finished goods.
He also charged LAUTECH to develop and implement a comprehensive research strategy for 2026–2031 aligned with global benchmarks and focused on international collaboration, research visibility, and the attraction of world-class scholars.
He said the vision should be strengthened through the establishment of a fully functional Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Office (IPTTO) to protect innovation, promote patenting, and accelerate commercialisation through structured industry partnerships.
The don equally called on the Federal Government, through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), to establish at LAUTECH a Centre of Excellence for Interdisciplinary Research and Sustainability aimed at driving cutting-edge, solution-oriented research in energy, environment, and sustainable development.
He added that the institution should also be designated as a priority university for TETFund-sponsored Master’s and PhD programmes in recognition of its consistent ranking among Nigeria’s leading universities, including its reputation as one of the country’s top state universities and foremost universities of technology.
Professor Adedosu further appealed to the Oyo State Government to partner LAUTECH in championing systemic geochemical characterisation and sustainable mining research in the Oke-Ogun area and other parts of the state.
He explained that by formalising artisanal mining through cooperatives, providing technical training, and ensuring environmentally responsible extraction processes, hidden mineral resources could be harnessed for inclusive and sustainable economic growth capable of transforming communities and improving livelihoods.
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