Education
Plateau has vast gas reserves, says PTDF scribe – EnviroNews
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Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) Professorial Chair holder at the University of Jos (UNIJOS), Prof. Nuhu Samaila, says Plateau State possesses vast natural gas reserves that can significantly boost industrial development.
Samaila said some amount of crude oil was also discovered in Langtang North and Langtang South local government areas (LGAs), natural resources that could accelerate development if properly explored and harnessed.
The don stated this on Thursday, June 25, 2026, in Jos during the close-out seminar of the PTDF Endowment Professorial Chair programme, with the theme: “Integrated Geological and Geophysical Evaluation of the Shendam Sheet 212, Middle Belt Trough, Nigeria.”
He said research conducted by his team established the presence of substantial natural gas deposits, hydrocarbons, suitable sedimentary formations, and temperatures capable of maturating masarals in parts of Langtang North, Langtang South and the Mutulambu community.
“We discovered four major natural resources in the area, namely hydrocarbons, solid minerals, such as barite, and hydrothermal energy resources capable of generating electricity,” he said.
He, therefore, noted that Plateau had significant barite deposits that could support Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
He expressed confidence that collaboration between the PTDF and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) could facilitate further surveys to determine the precise quantity and quality of hydrocarbons in the area.
The professor of Sedimentology and Petroleum Geology urged the Federal Government to pay attention to the findings and ensure that the discoveries were further explored and developed.
He also appealed to the incoming PTDF Chair holder to sustain the research efforts and build on the progress already made.
Earlier, the PTDF Executive Secretary, Prof. Shuaibu Aliyu, said geological research remained critical to Nigeria’s national development, noting that scientific studies provided vital data for resource exploration, investment decisions, and economic diversification.
Aliyu described the seminar’s theme as timely and strategic.
According to him, the findings can contribute significantly to efforts aimed at unlocking the vast mineral and energy resources of the Middle Belt region and other parts of the country.
He said the PTDF Endowment Programme was established to promote cutting-edge research, encourage innovation, and strengthen collaboration among academia, industry, and government in the energy and mineral resources sectors.
“The programme has, over the years, generated valuable research outputs, produced highly skilled manpower and contributed knowledge that supports national development objectives,” he said.
Aliyu commended Samaila, members of the research team, the management of the University of Jos, and other stakeholders for their contributions to the successful implementation of the chair’s activities.
He expressed confidence that the research outcomes would enrich geological knowledge, support resource evaluation, and provide a foundation for future studies and policy formulation in the sector.
Also speaking, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jos, Prof. Tanko Ishaya, said research driven by collaboration between academia and industry remained essential to Nigeria’s development aspirations.
Samaila assumed office as PTDF Professorial Chair holder in 2021.
By Blessing Odega
