The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has pledged strong support for the newly established Department of Gemology and Gemstones at Yakubu Gowon University, Abuja, the first of its kind in Africa.
Speaking during a courtesy visit by a delegation from the university led by Professor Adesoji Adesugba, Dr. Alake described the initiative as a strategic step toward strengthening Nigeria’s mining industry through capacity building and innovation.
“This department represents a vital hub for training professionals in the gemstone and jewelry-making value chain,” Alake said. “By cultivating local expertise, we are laying the foundation for sustainable growth and long-term value creation in the solid minerals sector.”
He lauded the creation of Africa’s first formal academic curriculum in gemology as a groundbreaking milestone and assured the delegation of his ministry’s full support, including backing for a proposed affiliation between the university and the Gemological Institute of Nigeria.
Dr. Alake also urged other Nigerian institutions to emulate the university’s pioneering move by introducing mining-focused academic programmes, adding that the federal government was working toward establishing full-fledged universities dedicated to mining and mineral sciences.
In his remarks, Prof. Adesugba praised the minister’s reform-driven leadership, noting that recent policy changes have significantly repositioned Nigeria’s mining sector for global competitiveness.
He appealed for ministerial support in formalizing the university’s affiliation with the Gemological Institute of Nigeria and pledged the department’s commitment to advancing the ministry’s goals.
Other members of the delegation included the Dean of Science at Yakubu Gowon University, Prof. Aminu Dankishiya; the Registrar of the Gemological Institute of Nigeria, Dr. Tinuke Temitope; and the Head of the Department of Geology and Mining, Dr. Aminu Isyaku.
