By Yunus Olawale
Fresh off their commendable participation at the 2026 Nigeria Mining Week, the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) and private enterprises Titan Minerals and SciAps demonstrated the benefits of partnership preached during the mining week by jointly organizing a training for staff of the NGSA.
In his welcome address at the training session held at the NGSA office in Utako, the DG of the NGSA Prof Olusegun Omoniyi Ige said one the challenges faced by the agency was the inability to carry out tests in-house.
The training was led by Pieter Du Preez of SciAps and Fadi Abou Ghazale of Titan Minerals. “I enjoin all participants to take this workshop serious,” he said.
Ige said the training was a result of discussions with SciAps representatives during the Mining Week. He thanked his guests for being proactive, saying the collaboration was arranged within 48 hours.
The training was led by Pieter Du Preez of SciAps and Fadi Abou Ghazale, Managing Director of Titan Minerals.
“I enjoin all participants to take this workshop serious,” Ige said. “This training will enable NGSA to carry out its analysis in a faster and more detailed fashion.”
According to Ige, the adoption of portable analytical equipment such as the one promoted by SciAps would help geologists to identify minerals and obtain relevant field data more quickly on site, instead of dealing with uncertainties associated with transporting samples to laboratories.
“Some of the challenges we face include limited domestic analysis capacity and concerns about the reliability of the analytical processes,” he said. He said the training would help strengthen the NGSA’s capacity to conduct mineral analysis in a better way.
Pieter Du Preez said the technology behind the SciAps’ Handheld XRF, LIBS Analyzer is meant for real world applications.
“It is a digital world now and the software in the systems enables data to be captured in real time” he said, adding that it seamlessly brings data and AI together in an application that is useful for mining exploration and minerals processing.
Du Preez noted that there is a growing demand for critical minerals across West Africa and that is why the region is getting greater attention.
“As west Africa’s mining sector grows, the need for better technology also grows”, he said. “Nigeria is important because of its size and the presence of businesses such as Titan with good capabilities.”
Du Preez explained that the SciAps equipment supports mineral exploration, drill-core analysis, grade control, identify critical minerals, environmental assessment, precious-metal testing and industrial quality control.
He said the company’s cloud-based software, which enables users to access measurement data and generate reports remotely.
Stating that the new technology guarantees reliable results in geological exploration and mineral data generation, he assured that SciAps, with its collaboration with Titan Minerals, would provide after-sales support services to include onsite calibration assistance and operational training on how to navigate the instruments.
“While SciAps can already measue Parts Per Million (PPM) levels of gold, SciAps also has the ability to introduce Parts Per Billion (PPB) level gold results when used in conjunction with a leeching method from Portable PPB in Australia in 12 hours,” he said.
Ghazale, whose Titan has more than a decade of experience in Nigeria mineral exploration work, said his company is ready to provide local expertise, market access and product management capabilities to customers of SciAps products.
According to him, SciAps innovation is responsible for the partnership. “The partnership will bring so many other innovations to the market,” he said. “SciAps brings analytical equipment and tech while Titan brings local knowledge and understanding of the market.”
Ghazale noted that in mineral analysis, timing and reliability of result are crucial. “SciAps is the first manufacturer of a handheld lithium analyzer which is the LIBS analyzer. It is the first of its kind and it is commendable,” he said
“Without any contradiction, these analyzers are the latest innovations and NGSA is doing well to put in place this workshop that aims to acquaint its technical staff with the innovations in mineral exploration and sample analysis.”
“This is why we are working together to bring the analyzers to the mining and geosciences industry in Nigeria, and we hope that the NGSA will take the lead in acquiring them toward ensuring the greater fulfillment of its mandate of geological survey, mineral exploration and reliable, timely analysis of ore samples,” he added.
Speaking on affordability, Ghazale explained that listed three possible sales models.
“You know, the industry is capital intensive and you have you have to spend to get good results,” he said. “We are however looking at various models to get the equipment to those who need it. The first model is outright sale and I want to assure that the price is competitive and is for those who can afford it.
The second model is for people to come to Titan laboratories for the analysis to be done for them while the third model is to rent out the equipment on monthly basis to those who need it.”
Ghazale then thanked Prof Ige for his open door policy and promised collaborate and work more with the NGSA.
One other interesting aspect of the training was the presence of a senior official of Wema Bank, Mr Olugbenga Adelana. Mr Adelana told the gathering that Wema Bank has introduced several products to support mining activities in the country.
Prof Ige described the training as a great learning experience for his staff. Participants witnessed how SciAps handheld XRF and LIBS analyzers are used to analyze minerals with results out in seconds.
Some of the samples from the NGSA were also analyzed to verify results reached with equipment the agency already uses.
Also present at the training is the JORC-certified structural geologist at Titan Minerals, Dr. Warwick Crowe.
