The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu has emphasized the need for the country to develop its human capital and infrastructure to tap into its vast mineral resources.
Kalu made the call during his lecture titled “Our Gown in Town and in Cyberspace: Sustainable and Human-Centred Education, The Mandate of Our Universities, 2025-2075”, at the 37th convocation ceremony and 50th Anniversary of the University of Calabar, Cross River State.
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Kalu noted that Nigeria’s educational system has focused more on theoretical disciplines than on harnessing the country’s vast natural wealth.
The Deputy Speaker highlighted the country’s rich mineral deposits, citing the North Central region’s significant deposits of tin, columbite, tantalite, and barite.
He also said that the North West geopolitical zone is rich in gold, granite, and limestone just as the North East has gypsum, kaolin, and bentonite, while the South West has bitumen, feldspar, and lithium.
Kalu said that despite these vast resources, Nigeria has remained a net importer of many refined mineral products.
He therefore advocated for universities to establish specialized faculties, collaborate with industry leaders, and offer hands-on training in mining and mineral processing to address the skills gap in the sector.
He said: “To build a truly prosperous nation, we must align our educational priorities with the resources that define our economic potential. One such opportunity lies beneath our feet. Nigeria is abundantly blessed with solid minerals, yet for decades, our education system has focused more on theoretical disciplines than on harnessing the country’s vast natural wealth.
“The North Central region holds significant deposits of tin, columbite, tantalite, and barite, all critical for modern electronics and industrial applications. The North West is home to gold, granite, and limestone, offering vast potential for the jewelry and construction industries. In the North East, gypsum, kaolin, and bentonite remain largely untapped, despite their importance to cement production and pharmaceuticals.
“The South West boasts reserves of bitumen, feldspar, and lithium—minerals essential for road construction and battery technologies, while the South East is rich in lead, zinc, coal, and also shares in the oil and gas reserves that have historically defined the nation’s economy. The South South, beyond its dominance in oil and gas, possesses large deposits of limestone, clay, and rare earth elements, which have yet to be fully explored.
“Despite this natural endowment, Nigeria remains a net importer of many refined mineral products. The mining sector, despite its vast potential, contributed only 0.3% to Nigeria’s GDP in Q3 2022, according to KPMG—an increase from the 0.2% recorded in Q3 2021, but still far below its capacity to drive economic transformation.
“Few universities dedicate faculties to mining, mineral processing, or extractive metallurgy. Research into value addition, refining, and sustainable mining practices remains minimal. If our goal is to make education in 2075 more impactful and productivity-driven, then it must align with the needs of the nation, ensuring that the abundant resources beneath our feet become a catalyst for industrialization and economic prosperity.
“This administration has made commendable strides in repositioning the mining sector. The amendment of mining laws has created a more attractive environment for investment and responsible exploration.”
In addition to harnessing its mineral wealth, Kalu urged the country to also improve its power supply infrastructure to drive industrialization and economic growth.
He said that the Electricity Act of 2023 was a significant step towards achieving the goal, noting however that more needed to be done to provide a reliable and sustainable energy supply.
Kalu added that with the right policies and investments in education and infrastructure, Nigeria can unlock its full potential and achieve economic prosperity.
“Despite the immense potential of our Blue Economy, sustainable growth cannot happen without a stable power supply. No economy—whether maritime, digital, or industrial—can thrive in darkness. Reliable electricity is the backbone of development, yet communities remain trapped in cycles of blackouts, and industries in the South-South and South-East struggle for gas.
“The Electricity Act of 2023 was a watershed moment—a law that unbundled power generation, transmission, and distribution from the exclusive to the concurrent list, et implementation gaps persist. Gas distribution infrastructure remains skeletal, stalling industrialization.
“Imagine undergraduates in engineering and economics collaborating to map pipeline routes using geospatial AI. Picture law students drafting frameworks for public-private partnerships to fund infrastructure. This is the gown’s role: to turn legislation into lightbulbs.
“But as we power industries and expand infrastructure, we must do so with sustainability at the core. Energy without environmental responsibility is a short-term fix with long-term consequences”, he said