By Festus Obot and Adaora Adibe
The Hon. Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator (Dr) Aliyu Abdullahi, has emphasized the critical role of food security and value chain development initiatives in driving national growth.
The Minister made this remark while presenting his keynote address at the National Roundtable on Rubber Value Chain Development, organized by the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN), held on Tuesday 25th November, 2025, at the Conference Hall of the institute, in Benin City, Edo State.
The event, themed “Revolutionizing Nigeria’s Rubber Sector for Economic Independence,” brought together policymakers, researchers, farmers, processors, investors, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), including the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), traditional rulers, and other stakeholders, aimed at fostering purposeful engagement towards reviving and transforming Nigeria’s rubber sector.
According to the Minister, rubber offers a natural linkage between agriculture and industry, supporting the government’s vision for an integrated agro-industrial value chain.
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“At a time when the global economy is tilting towards sustainability, bio-based industries, and climate-smart solutions, natural rubber—especially within regenerative agroforestry systems—offers a unique opportunity to align our agricultural ambitions with global market trends and environmental priorities,” the Minister stated.
He noted that Nigeria possesses approximately 18 million hectares of land suitable for rubber cultivation, with natural rubber currently grown across 25 states. Out of these, 13 states account for high production levels, three have medium capacity, while nine produce at lower output levels.
“Despite Nigeria’s long history of natural rubber cultivation and its comparative agro-ecological advantage, the sector faces serious constraints such as the absence of a coherent policy framework guiding rubber development. The Rubber Research Institute has also remained underfunded over the years, impairing innovation. Youth participation is low, largely discouraged by the long gestation period of the crop and the lack of viable investment incentives,” he lamented.
The Minister urged participants to view the event as a turning point for unlocking the rubber sector’s vast potential through deliberate and coordinated action.
He, however, assured that under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the Federal Government is fully committed to diversifying the economy through agriculture and tree crops such as rubber.
“I am glad to announce that efforts are already underway to initiate a comprehensive national policy and strategic action plan for the rubber subsector,” he revealed.
In his goodwill message, the Director General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, stated that as the nation’s focal agency for raw materials development, the Council remains fully aligned with ongoing efforts to deepen research–industry collaboration, strengthen sectoral governance, and promote value-added processing capable of driving employment, industrial productivity, export competitiveness, and inclusive growth.
“Permit me to reiterate that RMRDC has advanced a landmark policy proposal, the 30% Raw Materials Value Addition Bill. This bill, now awaiting presidential assent, represents a truly transformative policy instrument as it seeks to mandate a minimum of 30% value addition to Nigeria’s raw materials prior to export,” the DG stated.
Professor Ike-Muonso commended the leadership of the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria for convening such a strategic roundtable and for its enduring commitment to the growth and transformation of the nation’s natural rubber industry.
The first day of the event also featured goodwill messages, paper presentations, and panel discussions by seasoned experts, all geared towards charting a sustainable path forward for Nigeria’s rubber sector.
