By Adaora Adibe
Following the signed MoU with National Innovation Centre par Excellence (NICE) in Shanghai, China, facilitated by the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), the parties held a virtual meeting in readiness to accelerate technology commercialisation, industrial innovation, and sustainable development across Africa.
The partnership draws strength from some of China’s leading innovation and technology commercialisation institutions. NICE, headquartered in Shanghai’s Zhangjiang Science City and operating through the Shanghai Yangtze Delta Innovation Institute (SYDII), serves as one of China’s foremost cross-regional technology hubs focused on bridging the gap between laboratory research and market-ready products. The institution drives engineering optimisation, pilot testing and small-scale commercialisation across strategic sectors including information technology, advanced materials, advanced manufacturing, biomedicine, energy and environmental protection.
It also brings on board the Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute (JITRI) and the Anhui Yangtze Delta Innovation Institute (AYDII), both of which play critical roles in transforming scientific breakthroughs into industrial products and commercial ventures.
The meeting also explored collaboration towards hosting both the African Raw Materials Summit and the WAITRO Summit, which are scheduled to hold separately in October 2026 in Nigeria and Turkey, respectively.
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Speaking during the meeting, WAITRO Secretary-General, Dr. Benjin Luo, described the engagement as an opportunity for both institutions to understand each other’s strengths and technological needs in order to build impactful collaborations.
Luo disclosed that WAITRO was particularly interested in exploring the RMRDC’s patent portfolio as a starting point for developing commercially viable technologies into large-scale industrial projects.
“The patents are a very good start. Since the intellectual property has already been protected, we need to meet and discuss how these technologies can be transformed into joint projects involving WAITRO, NICE and JITRI,” he stated.
According to him, the ultimate objective of the collaboration is not merely technology development but industrialisation and economic impact.
“For us, the goal is commercialisation and industrialisation of technology for the economy. The output is our goal while technology is the driver. We want to know your needs and determine how our resources, capabilities and technologies can support you to achieve them,” Luo added.
The Director-General of RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, welcomed the growing partnership, describing it as a major step towards operationalising the Memorandum of Understanding signed between both organisations.
“This engagement shows a good beginning after the signing of the MOU, and we hope to continue on this path to achieve the desired results,” the DG stated.
Ike-Muonso also announced that the second African Raw Materials Summit, earlier scheduled for June, was shifted to October 19 to 20, 2026, following indications of interest by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to participate in the event and to also meet other requirements towards a successful summit.
He revealed that RMRDC was making arrangements for WAITRO leadership to participate actively in the summit as resource persons while also facilitating strategic engagements with Nigerian ministers and institutions whose mandates align with the objectives of WAITRO.
The Director-General expressed optimism that the visiting delegation would tour the Council’s Research and Demonstration Plant Complex (RDPC) and interact with local media organisations to increase awareness of WAITRO’s activities and opportunities in Nigeria and West Africa.
Ike-Muonso further proposed that RMRDC be designated as a regional training centre for WAITRO in Africa, citing the Council’s nationwide presence across Nigeria’s 36 states and extensive experience in agro-industrial development and research.
“There is no other country in Africa with a dedicated raw materials agency like Nigeria. We believe RMRDC can serve as a regional training centre for WAITRO by utilising our physical and virtual infrastructure as well as our expertise in agro-industrial research and development,” he said.
On RMRDC’s technology requirements, the Council’s Director of Technology Development, Mr. Njidda, disclosed that the agency currently operates about 40 pilot processing projects and holds more than 46 patents developed to pilot scale.
According to him, priority areas requiring support include the upgrading of laboratories and pilot facilities, deployment of advanced manufacturing systems, establishment of a national raw materials database and the adoption of digital technologies for research management and forecasting.
Responding to WAITRO’s interest in developing some of the RMRDC patents, Ike-Muonso noted that many of RMRDC’s innovations had not received adequate support due to funding constraints.
The meeting also explored possible collaboration in healthcare technology through the deployment of an artificial intelligence-powered mosquito control system developed by a Chinese company and already deployed successfully in parts of Asia.
Luo disclosed that the technology, which has reportedly recorded over 90 per cent success rates in countries such as Singapore and Indonesia, could assist Nigeria and other African countries in combating malaria.
Responding, Ike-Muonso assured WAITRO of RMRDC’s readiness to facilitate immediate engagement with relevant departments within the Council to begin discussions on pilot implementation of the project in Nigeria.
Also speaking during the meeting, the Deputy Director of Local and International Collaboration Division at RMRDC, Dr. A. Elusoji, appealed to WAITRO to waive registration fees for RMRDC participants at the forthcoming WAITRO Summit in Istanbul, noting that the Council had undertaken extensive mobilisation efforts across Nigerian universities, research institutions and government agencies to ensure strong African participation at the global event.
On the forthcoming WAITRO Summit, Ms. Ran Duan described the biennial event as the organisation’s flagship global gathering, bringing together leaders in research, innovation and technology development from across the world to deliberate on emerging trends and opportunities in industrial and technological advancement. She disclosed that this year’s edition would hold in Istanbul, Turkey, from October 26 to 28, 2026, featuring high-level panel discussions, policy dialogues and strategic networking sessions aimed at fostering global collaboration in science, technology and innovation.
Elusoji further advocated for the nomination of the Director-General of RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, to the governing board of WAITRO, citing the Council’s longstanding contributions to the organisation and its active role in promoting industrial research and innovation across Africa. She informed that RMJRDC will support WAITRO summit through the mobilisation of universities, research institutes and government agencies across Nigeria.
Other dignitaries who participated in the meeting included the Director of the Africa Development Office of World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) in China, Sechaba Bareetseng; the Director of the Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals Department of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), S. Kollere; and the Director of Planning and Policy Department, RMRDC, Tari Giwa-Osagie, among others.
