By Halima Olufadi and Nafisat Abdulrahman
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and the Benue Investment Promotion Agency (BENIPA) have taken steps towards a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating industrial development and investment promotion in Benue State.
The move followed a courtesy visit by the Executive Secretary of BENIPA, Dr. Terhemen Johnpaul Kpenkaan, to the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.
The engagement, which focused on strengthening collaboration between both organisations, highlighted opportunities in key agricultural and mineral value chains where RMRDC’s technical expertise can support the transformation of local resources into commercially viable products.
During the visit, Dr. Kpenkaan presented BENIPA’s industrial blueprint and outlined key areas of collaboration with the Council. Among the proposals was the establishment of a Joint Technical Working Group, the prioritisation of soybean, cassava, and fruits and vegetables value chains, a joint technical mission to Benue State involving relevant institutions, the preparation of investor-ready project briefs, and the development of a time-bound Memorandum of Understanding with a 90-day implementation plan.
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Responding, Professor Ike-Muonso welcomed the proposals and described the planned joint technical mission to Benue State as a priority. He said the Council would nominate some of its best technical personnel to participate in the mission, adding that the process would commence immediately. He disclosed that the Director of Planning and Policy Department, Mrs. T. Giwa-Osagie, would coordinate the Council’s participation in the exercise.
The Director-General further expressed the Council’s readiness to support in deploying a team of experts to undertake characterisation of the state’s mineral resources and provide indicative properties of the minerals to support investment decisions and industrial development.
He also pledged the Council’s support in facilitating collaboration between BENIPA and relevant stakeholders to improve the state’s attractiveness to investors, while assuring the agency that existing data and information available to RMRDC on Benue State’s raw material resources would be shared to strengthen the implementation of the proposed partnership.
The DG noted that it was encouraging to see government officials take ownership of showcasing the potentials of their states, describing such efforts as a positive step towards attracting development and investment.
He stated that the initiative provides a framework for the Council to engage more effectively with states, adding that what makes Benue State outstanding is its strong value chain potential and the opportunity to move from the production of raw materials to the creation of value-added products.
The meeting ended with both organisations expressing their commitment to sustaining discussions and working together to translate Benue State’s abundant raw materials into viable industrial and investment opportunities.
The BENIPA delegation comprised the Executive Secretary, Dr. Terhemen Johnpaul, and his Technical Assistant, Mr. Alfred Nongu. Also in attendance were members of RMRDC’s top management, including the Director, Planning and Policy Development Department, Mrs. Tariere A. Giwa-Osagie; Deputy Director, Data Management & Policy Analysis Unit, Dr. C.Y Hamilton; Deputy Director, Gender/Mainstream Unit, Dr. Mrs. Grace Abidoye; and others.
