By Adeyemi Saheed
The Osun State Coordinating Office of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) participated in a one-day Export Awareness Program organized by the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Osogbo, Osun State, on January 28, 2026. The program was designed to sensitize stakeholders particularly Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) on the availability, development and export potential of locally sourced raw materials.
In his address, the Osun State Coordinator of NEPC, Mr. Benson Sesan, decried Nigeria’s over-reliance on crude oil exports and underscored the urgent need for economic diversification. He stressed that the country must deliberately shift focus to non-oil exports, especially agricultural and agro-allied products, in order to strengthen the economy and boost foreign exchange earnings. Citing Malaysia as a model, he highlighted how sustained investment in non-oil sectors such as tourism has driven economic growth and resilience. Mr. Sesan also clarified that individuals do not need to be registered exporters to participate in export trade, noting that anyone can act as an offtaker by sourcing products locally and creating markets for them abroad.
In his remarks, the Osun State Coordinator of RMRDC, Mr. Adeyemi Saheed A., strongly emphasized that non-oil export remains the most viable option for Nigeria’s long-term economic growth and stability. He described the non-oil export sector as a critical engine for industrial development, job creation and foreign exchange generation. Mr. Adeyemi highlighted the 30% Value Addition Policy as a key instrument for driving non-oil exports, explaining that the policy encourages local processing of raw materials before export, thereby boosting manufacturing activities and reducing the export of unprocessed commodities.
He further noted that embracing non-oil exports would lead to job creation, economic expansion, foreign exchange savings and improved global competitiveness for Nigerian products. Mr. Adeyemi reiterated RMRDC’s unwavering commitment to promoting non-oil exports through targeted capacity-building programs, technical and research support and market access facilitation for MSMEs and prospective exporters.
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The event strengthened inter-agency collaboration between RMRDC and NEPC and enhanced awareness of available support mechanisms for exporters. Participants, particularly MSMEs, were encouraged to take advantage of RMRDC’s expertise in raw materials development and value addition to position themselves competitively in the global non-oil export market.
