The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), in collaboration with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, on Monday convened its maiden Post-NYSC Graduate Youth Knowledge Empowerment and Capacity-Building Programme to equip young graduates with practical skills for careers in the mining and geosciences sectors.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Oladele Alake, expressed delight at the induction of the beneficiaries and commended the NGSA Director-General and management for what he described as a timely initiative. He also congratulated the selected graduates on their participation in the programme.
Alake, who was represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engr Faruk Yusuf Yabo, said the programme was more than a training exercise, describing it as an investment in the people who would shape the future of Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
He said Nigeria’s mineral potential could only translate into national prosperity when supported by competent professionals, reliable geological information, responsible investment and modern technology.
Describing the NGSA as the nation’s foremost geoscience information institution, the minister said the agency played a strategic role in supporting mineral exploration, investment decisions and policy formulation, while building the technical capacity required for sustainable mineral development.
Nigeria, he noted, was endowed with commercially important minerals, including gold, lithium, iron ore, barite, limestone, lead-zinc and bitumen, which offered immense opportunities for economic diversification, industrialisation, job creation and increased revenue.
Alake said the Federal Government, under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the ministry’s Seven-Point Agenda, was committed to building a minerals sector that attracted credible investment, promoted local value addition and contributed meaningfully to national development.
Graduates Urged to Acquire Practical Skills
He urged the participants to regard the programme as a bridge between academic knowledge and professional practice, advising them to approach the training with discipline, curiosity and a willingness to learn.
He also encouraged them to make the most of the facilitators and mentors, particularly in acquiring practical competencies in geological mapping, mineral exploration and evaluation, geophysical and geochemical investigations, remote sensing, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), laboratory analysis, digital technologies, data management and environmental sustainability.
“Do not see this training merely as an opportunity to earn another certificate. See it as the beginning of a professional journey,” he said.
The minister also urged the graduates to explore opportunities beyond conventional employment, noting that the mining value chain offered prospects for entrepreneurship and innovation in geological data services, mineral testing, exploration support, mineral processing, environmental consultancy and mining technology.
“You can become not only professionals but also innovators and employers of labor,” he said.
Describing the beneficiaries as pioneers of the maiden cohort, Alake said their conduct and performance would help determine the programme’s future. He urged them to distinguish themselves through excellence, commitment and measurable contributions, and to serve as worthy ambassadors of the NGSA and Nigeria.
He also encouraged the agency to sustain the initiative through partnerships with universities, research institutions, professional bodies and private-sector operators to expand practical exposure and employment opportunities.
The minister pledged the ministry’s continued support for initiatives that strengthen institutional capacity and equip young Nigerians with the skills to contribute to the transformation of the solid minerals sector.
“The future of our sector depends on the quality of people we develop today. I urge you to turn the knowledge gained here into innovation, productivity and responsible resource development,” he said.
In his remarks, the NGSA Director-General, Professor Olusegun Omoniyi Ige, urged the participants to take full advantage of the capacity-building opportunity.
He disclosed that more than 500 graduates had applied for the programme but said the agency could accommodate only a few because of limited resources, despite carefully considering all the applications.
Recalling his undergraduate days, Ige said students then had limited access to basic geological equipment for practical training. He urged the beneficiaries to pay close attention to the resource persons and strengthen their skills to prepare themselves for professional responsibilities in mining and geosciences.
A former Director-General of the NGSA, Mr Alex Nwegbu, commended the initiative, describing it as a step in the right direction. He encouraged the agency to sustain the programme and deepen collaboration with universities and relevant research institutions.
