By Otoikhila O. Emmanuel
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), led by the Acting State Coordinator, paid a sensitization visit to the National Rubber Producers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NARPPMAN) on July 8, 2025, in Benin City, Edo State.
The RMRDC team was warmly received by the National President of NARPPMAN, Mr. Prince Igbinosun Idowu Peter; Edo State Deputy Chairman, Hon. Idehen Osaro; National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Balogun; and other key members of the association.
In his address, the Acting State Coordinator thanked the association for its continued collaboration and emphasized the purpose of the visit, stating that it is to sensitize NARPPMAN on the Council’s ongoing activities and foster closer cooperation in alignment with RMRDC’s mandate.
He also highlighted the significance of the recently passed 30% Value Addition Bill, which has cleared its third reading in the National Assembly. He explained how the bill, when assented to by the President, will boost industrial growth, enhance economic diversification, generate employment, and promote local content.
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The Coordinator further informed the association of a new authority granted to RMRDC by the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology to implement tax incentives for research and development, as well as for the utilization of local raw materials.
In his welcome remarks, Mr. Prince Igbinosun expressed appreciation for the long-standing relationship between the Council and the Association. He commended RMRDC’s Director-General, Prof. Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, for his unwavering commitment to transforming Nigeria’s industrial landscape.
He also affirmed NARPPMAN’s full support for the Value Addition Bill and stated the association’s readiness to align its operations with the bill’s guidelines, once it is signed into law. According to him, the bill will particularly benefit smallholder rubber farmers and strengthen Nigeria’s local manufacturing capacity.
Mr. Igbinosun also presented some of the challenges faced by stakeholders in the rubber sector, including a shortage of raw latex in Edo State, excessive taxation, lack of access to soft loans for smallholder farmers, and restrictions on machinery imports. He called on the government to create a more enabling environment for the sector to thrive.
In response, Mr. Otoikhila O. Emmanuel pledged to liaise with the Edo State Ministry of Business, Trade, and Cooperatives to arrange a meeting with a representative of the State Governor. The aim, he said, is to explore avenues for providing land to potential investors interested in rubber plantation development, which would in turn boost latex production and benefit the entire value chain.
