FUTA Professor Calls for Full Adoption of Local Content in Nigeria's Mineral Exploration
Professor Peter Sunday Ola of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has called for the full adoption of local content in Nigeria's mineral exploration during his valedictory lecture.
Chris Oyeoku Okafor 
Professor Peter Sunday Ola, a renowned expert in Petroleum Geology and Sedimentology at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has made a compelling call for the comprehensive adoption of local content in Nigeria's mineral exploration sector. Speaking during his valedictory lecture marking his retirement, Professor Ola emphasized the critical need for Nigeria to leverage its own resources and expertise to maximize the potential of its abundant mineral wealth.
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In his lecture titled “The Gains of Broken Nigeria’s Land Mass,” Professor Ola highlighted the silent struggles and efforts of Nigerian local content advocates to improve the situation despite frequent leadership changes. He underscored the superior knowledge of foreign entities, particularly the Chinese, in locating valuable minerals such as gold and lithium within Nigeria, stressing the urgency for Nigeria to invest in its own exploration efforts to prevent significant economic losses, especially with the potential exit of International Oil Companies (IOC).
Professor Ola traced the history of petroleum exploration in Nigeria, noting that it began in 1908 with Shell D’Arcy and faced numerous interruptions due to the World Wars. The first significant discovery was made in 1956 at Oloibiri. He lamented the current challenges in the oil industry, including Nigeria's underproduction relative to its OPEC quota and the decline in exploration activities, which threaten future production capabilities.
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Addressing FUTA’s role, Professor Ola called for a revitalization of the university’s Centre of Excellence in Geology and Geophysics to enhance postgraduate training for the oil and gas industries. He also emphasized the need for universities to focus on developing indigenous technology and leveraging local talent to address the issue of "unemployable youth."
Professor Ola stressed the economic potential of bitumen, particularly in Ondo State, and urged investment in workforce development for bitumen utilization. He reminisced about the significant investments made by the late Governor Adekunle Ajasin and the continued efforts of the Ondo State government to develop this resource.
Vice Chancellor, Professor Adenike Oladiji, lauded Professor Ola as a veteran who has made substantial contributions to his field. She described his valedictory lecture as an invaluable resource for future academics and professionals in Geology and related disciplines.
