By Kelechi Obassi
The Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, has reiterated the Council’s unwavering commitment to value addition in Nigeria’s raw materials sector, with a special focus on ginger production.
The DG made this known through the Overseeing Director of RMRDC State Industrial Extension Services Department, Dr. Edith Chima Obi, at the just concluded FCT Ginger Investors Forum held in Abuja.
The DG stressed the urgent need to harness the nation’s untapped ginger potentials. “Nigeria is blessed with abundance of ginger, yet much of its economic value remains untapped despite been among world’s most top producers, our local industries continue to underutilize the use of ginger, exporting largely in raw form while importing processed ginger-based products at a huge cost. We must make a call to action for greater investment in Nigeria’s ginger value chain” he said.
The two-day event which was held from Tuesday 8th to Wednesday 9th July, 2025 was organized by the FCT Coordinating Office of RMRDC, led by Mr. Bosun Olajubu, in collaboration with the FCT Department of Science and Technology and the National Ginger Association of Nigeria. The forum was themed: “Industrial Utilization of Ginger Value Chains and Economic Potentials in the FCT.”
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In his remarks, the DG described the forum as “timely and urgent.” He emphasized that value addition remains key to Nigeria’s industrial growth, economic diversification, job creation, and the success of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
He further emphasized the Council’s commitment to promoting value addition to raw materials, disclosing that “the policy mandating at least 30% value addition on all raw materials before export has successfully passed its third reading in the National Assembly and is now awaiting the gracious assent of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”
He said the Council is committed to helping ginger farmers and producers with the necessary assistance that will enhance the industrialization of ginger, thereby creating stronger linkages within the value chain.
The President of the National Ginger Association of Nigeria, Squadron Leader Nuhu Bagani (Rtd), delivered a keynote address on the topic “Unlocking the Industrial Potential of Ginger: A Pathway to Sustainable Economic Growth and Agro-Industrial Transformation in the FCT.” He stated that “Ginger is necessary to life as water is to the body. Ginger takes care of so many things in the body, a detox that can be found locally and everywhere, with great importance to culinary and pharmaceutical use.
According to him, “Nigeria has the best ginger specie in the world and can comfortably boast as the world fifth producer of ginger. This indicates that ginger has a lot of potentials to Nigeria’s economy.” He further went on to say that “given the right policies and implementation ginger from Nigeria’s soil will take its pride of place in the world trade system.”
The forum also featured panel sessions, goodwill messages from various organisations as well as cultural dance display from Kaduna State, the home of Nigerian ginger, and an exhibition of Made-in-Nigeria ginger-based products, including teas, creams, spices, and other varieties.
