By Precious Mbaramah
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Imo State Coordinating Office, has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting technology-driven industrial development through active participation in the Nigeria Tech Rally 2026 held on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC), Naze Industrial Cluster, Owerri.
The programme was organised by the National Board for Technology Incubation (NBTI) in collaboration with the High Tech Centre for Nigerian Women and Youth, as part of a nationwide initiative across the 36 states of the Federation aimed at fostering innovation, digital inclusion and technology-based entrepreneurship.
In her address, the Centre Manager of the Technology Incubation Centre, Owerri, Dr. Gift Eze, disclosed that Nigeria’s digital economy is projected to generate about $18.3 billion by 2026. She attributed the growth to the rising adoption of emerging technologies, expansion of financial technology services and improved digital infrastructure, adding that ongoing national initiatives are expected to further accelerate digital transformation and economic diversification.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Afrimerge Limited, Mr. Ikechukwu Edwin, stressed that sustainable economic development in Africa depends largely on the deployment of digital technologies. He identified leadership and structural bottlenecks as major challenges hindering innovation and entrepreneurship, and called for a more enabling environment to stimulate technological growth.
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Delivering a goodwill message, the Imo State Coordinator of RMRDC, Mr. David Enemuo, reiterated the Council’s statutory mandate of developing and promoting the optimal utilisation of local raw materials for industrial advancement. He restated RMRDC’s advocacy for a minimum of 30 per cent value addition to raw materials before export, and affirmed the Council’s readiness to collaborate with the Technology Incubation Centre in promoting agro- and mineral-based industrial development in the state.
During the exhibition segment of the rally, RMRDC showcased selected raw materials value chains, including the use of palm kernel shells in producing automobile brake pads and the application of locally sourced kaolin in the manufacture of soap and toothpaste. The displays attracted significant interest from participants, innovators and entrepreneurs.
In her closing remarks, Dr. Eze commended RMRDC for its active participation and expressed the Centre’s commitment to encouraging incubatees to develop, commercialise and scale agro- and mineral-based products.
The programme ended with a collective resolution by participants to set up a working committee to drive technology adoption and industrial development in Imo State.
