By Hembadon Ode, Tola Ogunwusi and Aisha Mujeli
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has concluded the maiden edition of the Raw Materials Innovation Challenge (RMIC) with a grand prize presentation ceremony held at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja. The event marked a major step in promoting creativity, innovation, and value addition among staff nationwide.
In his opening address, the Director-General/CEO of RMRDC, Prof. Nanyelugo M. Ike-Muonso, expressed joy at the successful completion of the initiative, describing it as a milestone in the Council’s drive to foster homegrown solutions for Nigeria’s industrial development.
Addressing the awardees, the Director-General congratulated all participants for their creativity and courage toward innovation, adding that their collective efforts showcased the wealth of talent within RMRDC family. He emphasized that the RMIC would remain a credible platform for recognizing and rewarding innovation among members of staff.
He said “I am grateful to those who raised the bar, the next edition is up and I encourage everyone to embrace and participate, let us have more entries”
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Prof. Ike-Muonso commended the RMIC Committee for its integrity, hard work, and transparency throughout the process noting that the competition reflected the Council’s commitment to excellence and accountability. Adding that all project will be admitted into the Council’s high impact project to be supervised by the various awardees
The director of the Directorate of the Legal Services and Board Affairs, Barr. (Mrs) Ngozi Keshi in her remark advised the awardees to register their intellectual properties by making sure that their innovations are properly registered, documented and patented.
She further advised them to visit the department of legal services for proper information and education about the steps to follow before registering their ideas.
Delivering a report on the Challenge, the Chairman of the RMIC Committee, Dr. (Mrs) Fausta Ogbuefi-Chima, detailed the rigorous process that led to the emergence of the top innovators. She explained that the Challenge was designed to stimulate creativity and technological advancement among RMRDC staff nationwide.
According to her, the Committee received 143 concept notes from staff across the 36 states, the FCT, and the headquarters. After preliminary screening, 83 submissions qualified for evaluation, which was conducted anonymously by a panel of seven judges to ensure fairness and merit-based assessment.
From the initial round, the top 13 entries were shortlisted, and eight finalists advanced to the grand finale, where they presented their innovations before a new set of judges on October 24, 2025. Projects included eco-friendly packaging from agricultural waste, solar-powered mango processing units, biodegradable 3D printing filaments, and block chain-enabled value chain systems, among others. Dr. Ogbuefi-Chima reaffirmed that every stage of the competition- from submission to evaluation was conducted with the highest level of transparency and accountability. At the end of the process, the top three innovators were selected based purely on merit, originality, and innovation. The winners were presented with awards and commendations for their outstanding contributions to the Council’s innovation agenda.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Ogbuefi-Chima expressed appreciation to the Director-General for his visionary leadership and to all participants, judges, and committee members for their commitment.
The event concluded with renewed enthusiasm among staff to pursue innovative ideas that will strengthen Nigeria’s industry and promote sustainable utilization of the Nation’s Raw Materials.
Entries for the next edition of the raw materials innovation challenge has commenced with submission deadline slated for 17 November 2025.
