The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Abeokuta Chapter, has called for closer collaboration among academia, government, industry and professional bodies to leverage geosciences for sustainable development, economic diversification and environmental safety.
The call was made on Tuesday, September 16, 2026, during the Society’s Third Quarterly Meeting held at the Green Chamber, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), which also featured the inauguration of the FUNAAB Chapter of the NMGS.
The meeting was attended by the NMGS Chairman, Prof. Adewole Gbadebo; Vice Chairman, Prof. Stephen Ariyo; General Secretary, Mr Agboyinu Sogo; lecturers from FUNAAB’s Department of Geology, government officials, industry partners and students.
In his welcome address, the Chapter Chairman said the quarterly meeting provides a vital platform for knowledge sharing, professional engagement and partnership building within the geosciences community. He thanked the management of FUNAAB for hosting the event and for its support to the Department of Geology.
He explained that geology goes beyond the study of rocks, with critical applications in water supply, food production, infrastructure development and environmental management.
He disclosed that the Department has introduced five new areas of specialisation – Urban Geology, Medical Geology, Geo-Terrorism, Geo-Archaeology and Agrogeology – to expand the frontiers of geoscience education and research in Nigeria. He noted that FUNAAB’s Department of Geology is the first in the country to offer Agrogeology.
According to him, geosciences hold huge potential for addressing national challenges in economic diversification, environmental security, public health and food security.
He said solid minerals exploration and mining could boost economic diversification, while geoscientific expertise remains crucial in tackling flooding, erosion and climate change adaptation. He added that Medical Geology and Agrogeology are key to improving public health and food security.
The chairman further stated that the NMGS is contributing to national development by providing professional advice and geological data to government, raising public awareness on the relevance of geology to everyday life, and mentoring young geoscientists to focus research on local and national problems.
He urged stakeholders to deepen partnerships and strengthen the role of geologists in advancing Nigeria’s development agenda, especially in economic prosperity and environmental sustainability.