By Ibrahim Muhammad and Rabi’at Salmanu
The Kebbi State Coordinating Office of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting indigenous industries through enhanced local raw material sourcing, value addition, and strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating sustainable industrial development.
The commitment was reiterated during an industrial visit by the Council to Ma’Zaine Foods, a leading indigenous food processing company based in Birnin Kebbi.
The RMRDC delegation, led by Principal Scientific Officer, Mr. Basiru Yusuf Aleiro, visited the company to assess its operations and explore areas of collaboration that would strengthen local raw material utilisation and promote agro-industrial development in the state.
Speaking during the visit, the Chief Executive Officer of Ma’Zaine Foods, Miss Maryam Yohana, commended the Council for the initiative and highlighted the company’s efforts in transforming locally available agricultural resources into value-added products for the Nigerian market.
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A tour of the facility revealed a wide range of products manufactured by the company, including Tutn Brown cereal, baobab fruit powder, shea butter, date seed coffee, date syrup, tigernut powder and onion powder.
She said that the company relies largely on locally sourced raw materials, a strategy that has contributed significantly to job creation, food security and economic development within the state.
However, Yohana identified the inadequate supply of baobab fruits as a major challenge confronting the company.
According to her, the increasing demand for baobab-based products has outpaced the availability of the raw material, creating supply gaps that hinder the company’s ability to meet market demand and expand its production capacity.
She appealed to RMRDC to support the company in identifying reliable sources of quality baobab fruits in sufficient quantities to sustain its operations.
The Ma’Zaine Foods CEO also expressed the company’s readiness to collaborate with the Council in areas such as training and capacity building on improved processing techniques, value addition and product development, establishment of sustainable raw material supply chains, and provision of technical support for agro-processing activities.
Responding, Aleiro assured the management of the company that the Council would examine the challenges and explore possible interventions to improve access to critical raw materials and support sustainable production.
He emphasised that indigenous processing companies remain central to Nigeria’s industrialisation drive and reaffirmed RMRDC’s commitment to promoting the development, utilisation and commercialisation of the country’s abundant raw materials.
According to him, the Council remains committed to supporting industries that utilise locally available raw materials through research, technical assistance, capacity development and value-chain enhancement initiatives.
The visit also provided an opportunity for both organisations to discuss avenues for deeper collaboration in raw material development, product innovation, value addition and industrial growth.
