FG Partners UNDP to Promote Innovation in Nigerian Universities
Keffi, Nasarawa State, Nigeria,May 7, 2026
The Federal Government has partnered with the United Nations Development Programme to strengthen research and innovation in Nigerian public universities through the establishment of specialised innovation facilities.
As part of the initiative, UNDP donated a Mining Technology and Resource Innovation Pod, also known as UniPod, to Nasarawa State University to support research, technology development, and entrepreneurship in Nigeria’s mining sector.
The facility was inaugurated by the Minister of Education, Maruf Tunji Alausa, who urged universities across the country to prioritise research capable of addressing critical societal and economic challenges.
The centre is designed to provide a platform for young engineers, geoscientists, entrepreneurs, researchers, and industry stakeholders to collaborate on innovative solutions for Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
Officials noted that Nigeria possesses more than 40 commercially viable solid minerals, many of which are found in Nasarawa State, but lacks sufficient domestic innovation infrastructure to transform those resources into industrial growth, skilled manpower, and scalable enterprises.
The Mining Technology Centre is expected to support advancements in safer extraction technologies, mineral processing innovation, and startup enterprise development across the mining value chain.
According to stakeholders, seven similar innovation centres have already been established in public universities nationwide, each tailored to the development priorities of its host region as part of broader efforts to promote sustainable economic growth and innovation-driven education.
