By Grace Abidoye, Adaora Adibe and Oluwaseyi Otitoju
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in conjunction with the African Development Bank (AfDB), convened a brainstorming workshop sessions with key stakeholders to develop a strategic 10-year roadmap for Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
The sessions which were held from 21st – 23rd January 2025 in Abuja, brought together experts from government agencies, private sector operators etc aimed to identify the sector’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats, and chart a strategic course for its growth and development.
In his opening remarks, the Director-General of RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso emphasized the importance of the raw materials sector to Nigeria’s economy, noting that the future of Nigeria depends on how well the Council plays its role in the actualization of its mandates.
The development of a 10-year roadmap is expected to give RMRDC a clear direction by defining, driving and communicating the strategic vision of the Council relating to the future of raw materials development and utilization in Nigeria.
The roadmap focuses on key areas such as enhancing local sourcing of raw materials, promoting research and development (R&D), raw materials data system development, raw materials 30% value addition before export, improving infrastructure and fostering public-private partnerships etc.
Presenting an overview of RMRDC, Dr. Kemjika B. Ajoku explained that RMRDC came into existence via Decree 39 of December 1987 and commenced operations on 10th February 1988, and has since achieved noticeable impacts including various policies like the Local Sourcing, the Backward Integration Policy (BIP), the National Strategy for Competitiveness in raw materials and products and so on, while also playing critical role in their implementations.
The roadmap is expected to align with national policy and goals for new raw materials development in a way that ensures regulations are streamlined and encourages collaborations with both domestic and international partners.
During the brainstorming session, participants identified key challenges facing the sector, including inadequate infrastructure, inadequate data, limited access to finance, research not tailored to meet needs and insufficient technical capacity, among others.
They also highlighted opportunities for growth and development, such as the increasing demand for raw materials, the potential for value addition, and the need for sustainable and environmentally-friendly practices.
A key session at the workshop was a panel discussion. The panelists included the Director General of the Council, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, the Director General of the Nigerian National Accreditation System (NiNAS) Dr. Celestine Okanya, a Director from the Nigerian Export Promotions Council (NEPC) Mr. Arnold Jackson and the CEO of the Consortium of Raw Materials Experts (CRME) Professor Bernard Odoh.
They had in-depth discussions about the need to define the future of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council because its continued existence is critical to achieving a fully developed raw materials sector. Following their discussions, they concluded that the Council needs to have its establishing Act amended to include the powers to certify Nigeria’s raw materials. They consider this opinion to be beneficial to advancing a renewed acceptance of Nigeria’s raw materials whether they are agricultural or mineral raw materials. This is expected to end the challenge of global rejections of Nigeria’s raw materials.
The session concluded with a consensus on the need for a roadmap that prioritizes research and development, infrastructure development, capacity building, and market development. On its part, RMRDC pledged to work with critical stakeholders to finalize the roadmap and ensure its effective implementation.
Present at the event were representatives from Federal Ministry of Livestock Development (FMLD), National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), African Development Bank (AfDB), Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Export Promotions Council (NEPC), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and National Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).
With the development of the 10-year roadmap by the Council, Nigeria’s raw materials sector is poised for significant growth and development, and is expected to play a major role in driving the country’s industrialization and economic diversification efforts.
