Tinubu upgrades Federal Polytechnic to specialised university

Tinubu upgrades Federal Polytechnic to specialised university

President Bola Tinubu has approved the conversion of the Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa into the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa, in a major boost to technical education, mining research and Nigeria’s drive to unlock the full economic potential of its solid minerals sector.

The approval, announced on Friday in a statement by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, marks another milestone in the Federal Government’s efforts to reposition higher education to meet the country’s industrial, technological and economic development needs.

According to the Presidency, the decision followed a proposal by Senator Ahmed Aliyu Wadada, who represents Nasarawa West Senatorial District, for the establishment of a specialised federal university that would leverage Nasarawa State’s vast mineral deposits to produce highly skilled professionals capable of driving innovation and sustainable development in the mining industry.

President Tinubu said the new university would become a national centre of excellence dedicated to teaching, research, innovation and manpower development in critical fields such as mining engineering, mineral processing, metallurgy, manufacturing, geosciences, artificial intelligence, renewable energy, robotics and other emerging technologies that are shaping the future of global industrialisation.

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He said the institution would play a strategic role in producing the skilled workforce needed to support Nigeria’s ongoing reforms in the mining sector, promote value addition to the country’s abundant mineral resources and reduce dependence on imported technical expertise.

The President noted that the conversion aligns with the objectives of his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which places strong emphasis on education, innovation, industrialisation, economic diversification and human capital development as pillars of sustainable national growth.

According to him, Nigeria’s vast deposits of lithium, gold, limestone, tin, columbite and several other strategic minerals present enormous opportunities for economic transformation, but these opportunities can only be fully realised through investments in education, research and technology.

“The establishment of this specialised university will strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to develop indigenous expertise in mining and engineering while supporting innovation, industrial growth and sustainable management of the nation’s mineral resources,” the Presidency stated.

To ensure a seamless transition, President Tinubu directed the Federal Ministry of Education, the National Universities Commission (NUC) and other relevant government agencies to begin the legal, administrative and regulatory processes required to transform the polytechnic into a fully operational federal university.

The transition is expected to include curriculum expansion, accreditation of degree programmes, recruitment of additional academic and non-academic staff, upgrading of laboratories and research facilities, as well as the establishment of governance structures in line with the standards of the National Universities Commission.

The approval comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to reposition the solid minerals sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy through increased investment, local processing of mineral resources and technological innovation.

In recent months, the Federal Government has launched several initiatives aimed at strengthening mining education and research, including the Mining Technology and Resource Innovation UniPod at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, developed in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund). The initiative is designed to transform Nigerian universities into innovation hubs capable of supporting industrialisation, research commercialisation and entrepreneurship in the mining sector.

The approval also follows the recent commissioning of one of Africa’s largest lithium processing plants in Nasarawa State, a project expected to enhance local value addition, create employment opportunities and position Nigeria as a key player in the global critical minerals value chain.

Education experts say the establishment of the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa will significantly expand access to specialised higher education while strengthening research, innovation and collaboration between academia, government and industry.

The new institution is also expected to attract local and international partnerships, encourage investment in advanced research and produce graduates with the technical skills required to meet the growing demands of Nigeria’s mining, manufacturing, engineering and technology sectors.

Stakeholders have described the conversion as a strategic investment in Nigeria’s future, noting that specialised universities remain critical to achieving the country’s long-term goals of industrialisation, job creation, technological advancement and economic diversification.

With the presidential approval now secured, the Federal Government is expected to commence the appointment of principal officers, establish the university’s governing council and complete other transitional arrangements necessary for the institution to begin operations as the Federal University of Mining, Engineering and Technology, Nasarawa.

The development is expected to further strengthen Nasarawa State’s position as one of Nigeria’s leading mining hubs while providing students with expanded opportunities to acquire world-class education and practical skills in disciplines that are central to the country’s economic future.

Tinubu upgrades Federal Polytechnic to specialised university