Varsities Urged To Focus On Translating Research To Commercially Viable Products, Solutions

The executive secretary of the Petroleum Trust Development Fund (PTDF), Prof. Shuaibu Aliyu, has challenged Nigerian universities and researchers to move beyond academic publications to translating research outcomes into commercially viable products and solutions.

Aliyu made the appeal at the close-out seminar of the PTDF Endowment Professorial Chair in Geology and Mineral Sciences, where stakeholders also advocated stronger collaboration between academia, government and industry to unlock the commercial potential of the findings held at the University of Jos at the weekend.

LEADERSHIP reports that the five-year research project, funded by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) at the University of Jos, revealed significant indications of oil and natural gas deposits in parts of Plateau State, raising hopes for future hydrocarbon exploration and economic development in the region.

Represented by the Deputy Manager, Procurement, PTDF, Mr Dikko Abba, Aliyu stressed that research institutions must prioritise innovation capable of attracting investment, creating jobs and strengthening national industrial capacity.

He described the study as a strategic contribution to Nigeria’s quest for economic diversification and sustainable resource development, noting that detailed geological and geophysical investigations remain critical for understanding subsurface structures and guiding exploration activities.

The PTDF boss also called for stronger institutional partnerships and sustained investment in research to bridge the gap between academia, government and industry.

“We expect stronger institutional collaboration that will enhance capacity development, strengthen industrial infrastructure and ensure practical application of research outcomes for national development,” he said.

Presenting the outcome of the research titled “Integrated Geological and Geophysical Evaluation of the Shendam Sheet 212, Middle Belt Trough, Nigeria,” the Chair Occupant and Professor of Sedimentology and Petroleum Geology, Prof. Nuhu Kadai Samaila, disclosed that the study identified geological evidence of hydrocarbon occurrence and migration within the area.

Samaila explained that while the broader project covered parts of the Benue Trough, researchers focused on the Shendam Sheet 212 axis, where geological formations favourable to hydrocarbon generation were discovered.

According to him, laboratory analyses revealed appreciable organic carbon content in rock samples, while sediment thickness exceeding 500 metres was recorded in several locations—conditions considered suitable for hydrocarbon generation.

Despite the effects of weathering and erosion on some samples, he said the research team identified subsurface indicators associated with hydrocarbon movement.

“What we can establish right now is gas. We also have thick sediments and temperature gradients sufficient to mature source rocks within the basin,” Samaila stated.

He noted that preliminary geochemical assessments showed the dominant organic materials in the area were largely Type III and Type IV kerogens, suggesting stronger prospects for natural gas generation than crude oil.

The professor further revealed that investigations of the Langtang North and Langtang South formations have identified signs of oil occurrence, including degraded oil traces at the surface, suggesting additional petroleum prospects warranting further exploration.

To ascertain the commercial viability of the discoveries, Samaila urged PTDF to partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited to conduct seismic surveys in the area.

“If PTDF collaborates with NNPCL, they can carry out seismic surveys in the area where we worked and establish more precisely the quantity and quality of hydrocarbons available,” he said.

Beyond oil and gas, the research also identified commercially valuable barite deposits and hydrothermal energy resources with the potential to support electricity generation.

In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Tanko Ishaya, described academia-industry collaboration as indispensable to Nigeria’s development aspirations.

He noted that the PTDF-funded project had demonstrated the transformative impact of sustained investment in research and expressed optimism that its findings would provide valuable insights for policy formulation and resource development initiatives.

According to him, the programme not only generated important scientific discoveries but also strengthened institutional capacity, fostered collaboration among researchers and laid a solid foundation for future investigations.

Ishaya reaffirmed the university’s commitment to sustaining the research momentum and pursuing opportunities for the commercial application of the project’s outcomes, saying the institution remains determined to contribute practical solutions to national development challenges.