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By Nafisat Busari, Umar Salihu
In a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s raw materials value chain, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Niger State Coordinating Office has begun a new strategic initiative with a working visit to the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), as both agencies are exploring viable opportunities to establish dedicated raw material clusters for sesame, shea, and hibiscus, leveraging RMRDC’s research on sustainable harvesting and NEPC’s market-driven training for SMES.
The RMRDC Niger State Coordinator, Dr. Abdulrasheed Mohammed, while speaking during the meeting held at the NEPC Office in Minna said the strategic engagement aimed to deepen synergies in raw materials cluster development, value addition, and export competitiveness.
Dr. Mohammed emphasized the RMRDC’s commitment to enhancing productivity through its annual crop-boosting program, which provides high-yield agricultural seeds and seedlings to farmers noted that the initiative aligns with NEPC’s goal of promoting export-quality agro-products.
Dr. Abdulrasheed Mohammed also reiterated RMRDC’s advocacy for a new policy requiring 30% value addition to raw materials before export, explaining that such a move would incentivize local processing, create jobs, and position Niger State as a hub for semi-finished exports.
He said with Niger State’s vast agro-resources, this partnership signals a bold leap toward sustainable industrialization and export diversification, in line with Nigeria’s economic development agenda.
He said both agencies are exploring viable opportunities to establish dedicated raw material clusters for sesame, shea, and hibiscus, leveraging RMRDC’s research on sustainable harvesting and NEPC’s market-driven training for SMES.
Dr. Abdulrasheed said “this partnership is a game-changer, because by combining RMRDC’s technical expertise with NEPC’s market intelligence, we can transform Niger State into a model for value-added exports.”
Responding, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Niger State Coordinator, Mr. Bello Ibrahim Noma welcomed the initiative and highlighted the Commodities Aggregate Cleaning Center in Minna as a success story.
“This facility has revolutionised the processing of sesame, directly improving export readiness,” he stated.
Mr. Noma further emphasized NEPC’s commitment to its ‘Double Your Export’ initiative, which prioritizes value chain interventions such as improved processing technologies and expanded market access for Niger State’s agro-raw materials.
“Our ‘Double Your Export’ vision hinges on collaborations like this,” Noma added. “Together, we’ll unlock the full potential of Niger State’s raw materials for global markets.”
The meeting concluded with a mutual agreement to draft a Joint Action Plan, focusing on cluster mapping, SME financing, and compliance with international export standards, with plans to co-host a Stakeholders’ Forum on Agro-Raw Materials Cluster Development in the third quarter of 2025 were also proposed, aiming to unite farmers, processors, and exporters under a cohesive strategy.
