…As UNDP launches Mine-Tech UniPod in Keffi
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria on Friday launched the Mine-Tech University Innovation Pod (UniPod) at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, in a move aimed at transforming the country’s mining sector through technology, research, and innovation.
The Mine-Tech UniPod is designed to function as a hub for student innovators and entrepreneurs. It will promote skills development, applied research, and collaboration among academia, government, and industry players in the solid minerals sector.
Representing Benue State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, at the launch, Deputy Governor Dr. Sam Ode, delivered a goodwill message commending the Federal Government, UNDP, and its partners for the initiative.
In a statement on Friday night, Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Office of the Deputy Governor, Ior Ikyereve said, Dr. Ode Who described the establishment of the Mine-Tech UniPod as “a strategic intervention capable of empowering young innovators and strengthening Nigeria’s drive towards economic diversification through the solid minerals sector,” noted that the project aligns with Benue’s own efforts to build a digital economy. He disclosed that the state government had already established a digital infrastructure hub and remains committed to initiatives that “promote innovation, youth empowerment, research, and digital transformation.”
“Partnerships between government, academia, and development organisations remain critical to national development,” he added, urging students and beneficiaries to use the UniPod to develop practical solutions to challenges in the mining sector and contribute to Nigeria’s economic growth.
The Keffi launch follows the national rollout of the UniPod network, which began in April 2026 with the AI UniPod at the University of Lagos. The initiative is being implemented through a coordinated Federal Government effort involving relevant ministries, with UNDP providing technical and programmatic support under the National Innovation and Digital Transformation Partnership Programme (NIDTPP).
According to officials, the Mine-Tech UniPod seeks to strengthen linkages between geoscience knowledge, applied research, and emerging opportunities within Nigeria’s solid minerals value chain. A similar facility is expected to be launched soon in Benue State.
