By Adaora Adibe
As part of its sustained efforts to deepen inter-agency collaboration and promote a robust raw materials ecosystem in Nigeria, the Director General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, paid a courtesy visit to the Managing Director of the Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority (OORBDA), Engr. Dr. Adedeji Ashiru, at the Authority’s headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The visit formed part of RMRDC’s strategic drive to align institutional mandates and foster partnerships that support agro-industrial development, local raw materials utilization, and sustainable economic growth across Nigeria’s River Basin areas.
During the meeting, the RMRDC Director General, Prof. Ike-Muonso, emphasized the Council’s ongoing commitment to developing Nigeria’s raw materials base through research, policy support, and industrial linkages. He highlighted the critical importance of cross-sectoral collaboration, especially with agencies like OORBDA, which have direct engagement with rural infrastructure, agriculture, and water resource management.
He pointed out that both organizations could leverage on RMRDC’s presence in every State of the Federation and expertise in raw materials research and development, for wider coverage and implementation of the projects and programmes.
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Both parties acknowledged the need to create sustainable, localized value chains, particularly in agro-based raw materials. They also discussed the potential to co-develop initiatives focused on post-harvest processing, storage technologies, and rural industrialization, all of which align with the Federal Government’s economic diversification agenda.
In response, Engr. Dr. Ashiru expressed OORBDA’s readiness to partner with RMRDC in areas of mutual interest, noting that such collaboration will accelerate the Authority’s mission to develop water and land resources for agricultural production and socio-economic advancement within the Ogun-Osun basin.
“This collaboration is timely and strategic. Together, we can develop impactful programmes that benefit farming communities, improve raw material availability for industries, and promote sustainable livelihoods across the region,” the OORBDA MD remarked.
As a concrete next step, both CEOs agreed that RMRDC will articulate and forward a proposal outlining key areas of collaboration within one week, to be reviewed and developed further by OORBDA’s management.
The visit marks the onset of a promising collaboration focused on strengthening the raw materials value chain, boosting agro-industrial development within the region, and contributing to Nigeria’s overarching goal of achieving self-sufficiency in raw materials and sustainable industrial growth.
