KEY POINTS
- Nigeria and Murdoch University agree to expand cooperation on skills development in solid minerals.
- Two cohorts of 11 Nigerian officials each have completed the existing programme.
- A proposed third cohort will have greater industry exposure and practical training.
- The programme is designed to build local expertise and develop commercially viable mining opportunities.
MAIN STORY
Nigeria is seeking to expand its partnership with Murdoch University in Western Australia as part of efforts to strengthen professional expertise and knowledge transfer in the solid minerals sector.
The discussions followed a meeting between Nigerian officials and the university’s management on the sidelines of the Africa Down Under conference in Australia.
The Nigerian delegation was led by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, who was represented at the meeting by the Director General of the Mining Cadastre Office, Mr Obadiah Nkom.
According to a statement issued on Sunday by Alake’s Special Assistant on Media, Mrs Lara Owoeye Wise, the discussions with the university, led by Prof. Dee O’Connor, Dean of the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, focused on the next phase of the Nigeria Australia Resource Industry Collaboration and Capacity Building Programme.
The partnership between the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and Murdoch University has so far trained two groups of 11 Nigerian officials each since the programme began in June 2025.
The programme combines technical, policy and leadership training with field visits, industry engagements, job shadowing and workshops. Participants are also exposed to Australia’s resources governance and mining industry.
The proposed third phase is expected to build on the first two cohorts by providing longer practical exposure and closer interaction with the mining industry.
It is also expected to use live industry cases and practical assignments to help Nigerian participants identify, develop and present mining opportunities capable of attracting investment.
The ministry said the partnership formed part of its broader effort to develop a knowledge driven mining industry that can attract investment, support responsible resource development and strengthen local expertise.
Alake said knowledge transfer was central to the government’s mining reforms, arguing that attracting foreign capital and technology would not be sufficient without building the capacity of Nigerians to use and further develop them.
He said the proposed third cohort would introduce stronger industry immersion, including internships or job shadowing, as well as training focused on developing investment ready mining opportunities.
The minister said the programme was intended to produce professionals who could contribute across the mining value chain, including exploration, project development, investment promotion, environmental, social and governance compliance and downstream value addition.
The ministry said continued collaboration with Australian universities, regulators, industry and research institutions would help translate international expertise into lasting capacity within Nigeria.
THE ISSUES
- Building local expertise is important to Nigeria’s ambition of developing its solid minerals sector because access to international capital and technology does not automatically create the skills needed to manage them locally.
- The gap between professional training and practical industry experience remains an issue, particularly in a sector where project development requires technical, commercial and regulatory knowledge.
- Developing commercially viable mining opportunities requires professionals who understand not only exploration but also project development, investment requirements and responsible resource management.
- Sustained institutional partnerships can help transfer knowledge into Nigerian institutions rather than limiting international cooperation to short term training programmes.
WHAT’S BEING SAID
“Knowledge transfer remained central to Nigeria’s mining reform agenda, stressing that sustainable transformation of the sector required building the human capacity to absorb and apply global best practices.” – Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development
“This partnership with Murdoch University is, therefore, a critical investment in the people who will drive the next generation of Nigeria’s mining industry.” – Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development
WHAT’S NEXT
The proposed third phase of the programme is expected to introduce stronger industry immersion, internships or job shadowing, live industry case studies and training aimed at developing investor ready mining opportunities.
BOTTOM LINE
Nigeria is seeking to move its mining skills development partnership with Murdoch University from classroom based training towards deeper industry exposure. The objective is to build a stronger pool of Nigerian professionals capable of developing and managing commercially viable mining projects.
