By Moyofoluwa Ogunyemi and Aderonke Gbogboade
As part of ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration with key stakeholders across Lagos State, the RMRDC, Lagos State Coordination Office, held a strategic engagement with the Lagos State Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, to formally propose a partnership with the Lagos State Government (LASG) to host an Investors’ Forum that is aimed at showcasing and harnessing the state’s abundant raw material resources and attract more investments into the Lagos’ thriving manufacturing sector.
Leading the RMRDC delegation, the Lagos State Coordinator, Mrs. Uchechukwu Ojiakor, provided a detailed overview of the Council’s mandate, achievements, and ongoing programmes within the state. She emphasized RMRDC’s commitment to driving innovation, promoting local sourcing of raw materials, and supporting industries with research-backed solutions. She highlighted key areas where collaboration with the state government would significantly boost economic activities, including the proposed Investors’ Forum on floating fish feed development; a sector with increasing demand and high potential for import substitution.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Babatunde Onigbanjo, who received the RMRDC delegation alongside members of his management team, expressed keen interest in RMRDC’s work. In his remarks, he requested a comprehensive overview of the Council’s notable achievements in Lagos State since its establishment. Mrs. Ojiakor responded by outlining several initiatives, including RMRDC’s role in supporting SMEs, facilitating raw materials data generation, providing technical advisory services, and promoting value addition through research and training programmes.
Mr. Onigbanjo commended the Council’s contributions and reaffirmed the willingness of the LASG to collaborate on programmes that drive sustainable industrialization, stimulate enterprise growth, and foster innovation-based development. He encouraged RMRDC to continue expanding its research frontiers and to explore new and emerging areas of technological advancement that align with the state’s economic vision.
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On the proposed floating fish feed Investors’ Forum, the Permanent Secretary described the concept as timely and strategically important, given the rapid growth of aquaculture in Lagos State. He recommended that the event be scheduled for the first quarter of 2026 to allow for effective planning and broad stakeholder participation.
Further enriching the discussions, the RMRDC team proposed establishing a Resource Centre within the Lagos State Secretariat to serve as a permanent showcase of locally available raw materials in Lagos state. According to the Council, such center would foster industry engagement, improve public awareness of local materials, and serve as a knowledge hub for potential investors. Mr. Onigbanjo welcomed the idea and encouraged the Council to formally submit a detailed proposal for the establishment of a dedicated Raw Materials Hub within a suitable government facility.
To ensure seamless coordination of the collaboration, Mr. Onigbanjo also recommended the inauguration of a joint working committee comprising officials from RMRDC, the Ministry of Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment and the Ministry of Agriculture. The committee will oversee planning, streamline communication and ensure that the proposed initiatives are implemented efficiently.
