By -Adaora Adibe/Nafisat Abdulrahman
Experts in the raw materials sector have converged to examine the challenges and opportunities facing Nigeria’s raw materials industry. In a virtual Zoom gathering organized every fortnightly, by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), which brought together stakeholders from various sectors to discuss the way forward for the industry and to explore innovative approaches to tackling challenges in Nigeria’s Raw materials sector.
The session which was moderated by the Director, Directorate of Corporate Affairs RMRDC, Mr. Chukwuma Ngaha, discussed the theme “Challenges and Opportunities in Raw Materials Sourcing, Development and Utilization in Nigeria”.
During the discussion, a renowned geoenvironmental researcher Prof. Inyang stated that Nigeria is blessed with abundant raw materials that can serve for her industrialization. He observed that these raw materials are equitably distributed across the country. He said from the North to South to the East and West every place is blessed with raw materials. He advocated for the need to look into other means of transporting raw materials like farm produce from the rural areas in Nigeria, especially as seen in China and India where Tricycles popularly known as Keke in Nigeria are used as an example of cost-effective and efficient means of transporting raw materials compared to deploying trucks for small-scale operations.
“Establishing depots near farms would reduce the burden on rural farmers, particularly women, who currently carry heavy loads over long distances” he added.
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Prof. Inyang also emphasized that Nigeria needs to focus on domestic production and large-scale refinement of agricultural machinery. This he said could be achieved by harnessing the expertise of engineering colleges, collaborating with local industries, and utilizing banks to offer development loans. He also pointed out that this strategy would reduce reliance on imports, generate employment opportunities, and strengthen the rural economy.
“Just as much as there is clamour for the repair of refineries, there should be clamour for the repair and production of machinery for at least medium-scale processing of Nigerian agricultural products. That is how you can give jobs to the majority of Nigerians in different parts of this country” he noted.
A Senior lecturer of food and bioprocessing engineering, University of Nigeria Nsukka, Engr. Dr. Nneoma Aneke on her part emphasized the urgent need for innovation, investment, and policy alignment to fully capitalize on the opportunities within Nigeria’s agricultural sector. She highlighted the importance of prioritizing value addition and pointed to the untapped potential of Nigeria’s agriculture, using Zobo (hibiscus) as an example. Dr. Aneke illustrated how hibiscus can serve not only as a beverage ingredient but also as a natural food coloring and for its medicinal properties, showcasing the broader possibilities for agricultural products.
“….. to harness the potentials of these products we have. Because we have a whole lot, like cocoa, we have rice, we have cassava. In fact, cassava is the most underutilized, in my opinion, the most underutilized agricultural product we have in this country. Because we have it in abundance” she said
A former Director of the Council Mrs. Princess Mayen Mbok raised crucial points about the challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s agricultural sector, particularly focusing on affordability, infrastructure, and sustainability as she emphasized affordability issues for staple items like oil palm, poultry, plantains, tomatoes, and onions, as their soaring prices strain household budgets.
Speaking on oil palm, Mrs. Mbuk explained that many plantations are aging and less productive. “We need improved seedlings, a lot of research in that area. We need replanting so that we can have new plantations, we can also have, products coming out and we can have the raw materials to process”.
Meanwhile, A development expert Dr. Bolarinwa Olugbemi spoke extensively on enhancing the accessibility and marketability of Nigeria’s agricultural raw materials by developing digital platforms like Jumia or Konga, specifically for sourcing agricultural raw materials to allow access to products without traveling to remote locations.
He further stated that commodity warehousing is also a good initiative where well-equipped warehouses are established nationwide to store raw materials in optimal conditions, reduce the need for direct sourcing from farms, and ensure steady availability of high-quality materials.
Experts present in the session stressed the importance of aligning government policies with private sector initiatives, providing financial incentives for SMEs, and fostering research into raw materials to unlock the sector’s potential.
Also present at the session were Directors of RMRDC as well as staff across State Coordinating offices in Nigeria.
