Eleven universities will benefit from the federal government’s approved grant disbursement of N84million for research collaboration.
The fund, spread amongst the tertiary institutions, is basically for geological mapping, mining engineering materials and metallurgical engineering.
Acting Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bwari, stated the current administration has made data generation, retrieval and storage a priority with huge investment.
He spoke in Abuja while presenting letters of participation in research development to representatives of the universities.
The beneficiary institutions include: Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife; Federal University of Technology Minna; University of Nigeria Nsukka; Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and Ibrahim Babangida University Niger State with N9 million.
Others are University of Port Harcourt and University of Jos; University of Lagos; University of Ibadan; Nasarawa State University and Ebonyi State University Abakiliki with N6.5 million.
Bwari explained: “The N84 million that is being shared by eleven universities today for research development in various areas relating to mapping and evaluation of particular mineral deposits will no doubt increase the fountain of geo science data available to investors.
“However, we also hope that it will impact on the students and lecturers that will be involved in the fieldwork so that the quality of learning in our schools will continue to be improved upon.
“We have seen so many graduates of Geology and Mining who cannot identify basic mineral types.
“The universities that are here today won these grants on the basis of the merits of their research proposals and potential value to the growth and development of the sector.
“To ensure professional probity, five eminent professors, including the former President of Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society, Prof Olugbenga Okunlola, evaluated the research methodology for the steering committee on research collaboration with Nigerian tertiary institutions.”