Nigeria Can Generate 7.7m Jobs From Mineral Processing – Varsity Don

A prominent academic at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Prof. Abdullahi Adinoyi Umar, has raised concern over the alarming exploitation of Nigeria’s natural resources by non-state actors.

He lamented that the trend persists even as the country increasingly relies on borrowing to fund governance.

Umar, of the Department of Industrial Design, Faculty of Environmental Technology of the university, stated this yesterday when he delivered the university’s 46th inaugural lecture titled “A Disaggregated Approach to Ceramics, Raw Materials, Beneficiation, and Its Socio-economic Impact in Nigeria.”

He stressed that Nigeria possesses vast natural resources that, if properly harnessed, could significantly reduce dependence on loans while creating jobs and stimulating economic growth.

“We are not able to extract them, yet we go for loans to run governments. It is not necessary if we utilise the resources available through local governments and states,” he said.

Professor Umar proposed a decentralised, grassroots-driven model that leverages local governments, wards, and community structures to establish mineral processing clusters capable of engaging millions of youths.

According to him, such an approach could generate up to 7.74 million jobs nationwide if properly implemented across Nigeria’s 774 local government areas.

He linked rising insecurity in mineral-rich areas, including Gwana district in Alkaleri local government area of Bauchi, to the attraction of illegal mining activities, noting that structured engagement of youths would reduce criminality.

Umar suggested simple, labour-intensive ventures such as aggregate quarrying, where young people can be productively engaged with minimal equipment.

Citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics, Umar highlighted the scale of unemployment in Nigeria, noting that as of the fourth quarter of 2020, about 13.9 million youths were unemployed, nearly 40 million were eligible to work, and only 14.7 million were fully employed.

He described Nigeria’s youthful population as both a challenge and an opportunity, depending on how effectively it is harnessed.

Professor Umar acknowledged the federal government’s efforts, including the establishment of the National Directorate of Employment (NDE), tasked with tackling mass unemployment through skills development and labour-intensive programmes.

However, he called for stronger, more practical interventions tied directly to production and manufacturing systems.

The lecturer called for the establishment of private-sector-driven mineral processing clusters near extraction sites and urged a partnership with the NDE to create structured youth employment programmes.

He also urged the introduction of funding models through the Central Bank of Nigeria, similar to the Anchor Borrowers Programme, and the expansion of the mandate of the Projects Development Institute to mass-produce low-cost processing equipment and to support off-grid power solutions for industrial clusters.

The university also called for a review of academic curricula to align with industry needs, for tax incentives to revive moribund ceramics industries, and for the establishment of a National Council on Ceramics under the Raw Materials Research and Development Council.

He also emphasised the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration among engineers, chemists, and designers to enhance innovation and efficiency.

Umar explained that industrial design plays a crucial role in modern manufacturing, focusing on product functionality, usability, and mass production efficiency.

He traced its evolution to the Industrial Revolution, when production shifted from craft-based systems to mechanised processes.

The professor highlighted ceramics as a strategic material for the future, especially as the world transitions from hydrocarbons to renewable energy sources. Je noted that ceramics will play a vital role in sectors such as transportation, housing, sanitation, and communication.

Earlier, the Vice Chancellor of ATBU, Prof. Ibrahim Hassa Garba, commended Professor Umar for reviving the institution’s inaugural lecture series after a long hiatus.

He urged other academics to contribute to research excellence and use such platforms to showcase their work globally, as the university repositions itself in international rankings.

“The time to bring this academic culture back to life is now,” the Vice Chancellor said.