The Fellowship is the highest conferrable merit of the over 64 year old society. An official statement of the NMGS which discussed its history, states: “In 1977, the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) succeeded the Nigerian Mining Geological and Metallurgical Society (NMGMS) which was founded on 15th January, 1961 and officially inaugurated on 17th December, 1962,” adding that the society is an international, non-governmental and non-profit organization.
At the ongoing AGM and Exhibitions of the NMGS, the Chairman, Year 2025 NMGS Awards Committee, Dr. Godwin Galo discussed the corporate governance system of the NMGS that led to the emergence of Dr. Dele Alake and a few others for the conferment, saying: “At its 257th meeting, the Council of the NMGS, approved various awards in various categories,” adding that 14 prizes and 13 awards will be presented to deserving recipients.
According to the Committee Chair, the NMGS takes pride in honoring distinguished Nigerians and non Nigerians who have contributed to the development of not only to the solid minerals sector and Nigeria, but also to the human race.
“We are awarding the fellowship of this great society to our Honorable Minister of solid minerals development, Dr. Dele Alake, the hardworking governor of Nasarawa State, Dr. Abdullahi Sule, Governor Chukwuma
Soludo of Anambra State, Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State, Prof Kayode Oyebode, Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Dr. Zak Adediji, and Bashir Adewale.
President, NMGS, Prof. Olatunji Akinade stressed the importance of innovation in sustainable development of the minerals, energy, water, and construction sectors.
He said: “As Nigerians, we have enormous advantages over our peers. We have a population, young dynamic, vibrant, and very innovative. We as a nation must put together a policy that will maximize these advantages, It is a shame that with the humongous human resources at our disposal within and at diaspora, that we will be lagging behind in development across all the sectors identified.
“This conference hopes to put a stop to that as we are ready to showcase the best of what the geoscience and mining profession in Nigeria can offer.
“We are bringing in the best of our arsenals to signpost the pathway to development that this country should and must thread.
“We want to show the nation that we have what it takes to help propel this nation on a trajectory of consistent growth that will wipe out poverty from this nation within a decade.”
He noted that the role of geoscience in agriculture and food security have all been carefully selected to provide room for the ventilation of innovative ideas and suggestions that will ultimately lead to the transformation of these identified sectors.
He added, “As you all would have noticed if these identified sectors witness the sort of transformation required, concomitant advantage on the Nigerian economy would be so massive that we will not be talking about poverty alleviation but poverty eradication.
“The immense force of real economic growth that would be birthed by these transformations would be unprecedented.”
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake described his conferment with the honorary fellowship by the Nigeria Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) as a recognition of the Federal Government’s commitment to repositioning the mining sector, stressing that the advancement of the sector is a collective responsibility.
In his Keynote Address, themed “Transformation of the Mineral, Energy, Water and Construction Sectors Through Innovations,” Alake said the mining industry is undergoing a global paradigm shift with the adoption of digital technologies, harping on the imperative of embracing these innovations to attract investment, increase productivity and ensure responsible extraction of the nation’s vast mineral resources.
“The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has prioritized the deployment of geospatial data and remote sensing technologies for mineral exploration, reducing uncertainties and optimizing investment decisions. Additionally, we are working towards establishing mineral processing hubs to enhance value addition and reduce reliance on raw mineral exports”, Alake added.
The minister, who was represented by Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe, affirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to creating an enabling environment for innovation–driven growth in mining and allied sectors.
He cited initiatives like strengthening regulatory frameworks to encourage responsible mining practices, promoting research and development through partnerships with universities and research institutions, supporting artisanal and small-scale miners through mechanization, and access to funding, amongst others.
Charging the NMGS to foster industry collaborations that will drive transformation of the mining industry, the minister reiterated the commitment of the ministry to work with the society and other industry players to realize the full potential of the nation’s natural resources for national development.
“I express my profound gratitude to the NMGS for this honor. Together, through innovation and collaboration, we will build a resilient and prosperous future for Nigeria’s mining and geosciences sector,” the minister said.
