By Oluwaseyi Otitoju
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has approved the expansion of the Council’s ISO-certified laboratory services at the Research and Development Pilot Complex (RDPC) in a bid to position the Council as a government-recognised institution for the testing, certification, and value addition of gold and other precious minerals in Nigeria.
The development followed a meeting between the RMRDC Director-General, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso and the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Kings Empire and Web (KEW) Limited, Mr. David Enabulu, at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.
Speaking during the meeting, Mr. Enabulu disclosed that his company was preparing to formally launch Nigeria into a new era of supplying government-certified gold to the international market. According to him, the initiative is designed to discourage illegal gold exports while promoting value addition and traceability in Nigeria’s gold sector.
He explained that KEW Limited is working with members of the London Bullion Market Association (LBMA) to facilitate the export of verifiable and traceable Nigerian gold into the global market. He further revealed that Fidelity Bank Nigeria Plc had agreed to serve as the financial partner for transactions involving international gold trade from Nigeria through KEWL.
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Mr. Enabulu noted that international buyers increasingly demand government-certified and laboratory-tested gold products, adding that the collaboration would boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s mineral export sector.
Responding, the DG RMRDC, said the partnership aligns with the Council’s mandate of promoting value addition to Nigeria’s raw materials before export. He stressed that the initiative supports ongoing national efforts to ensure that raw materials exported from Nigeria undergo significant local processing.
According to the Director-General, the collaboration marks a significant milestone in Nigeria’s gold exploration and beneficiation drive.
“This meeting marks a significant turning point in the nation’s exploration activities for gold and its enhancement before export. It demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to value addition and the development of government-approved infrastructure to support the sector,” he said.
Professor Ike-Muonso further expressed optimism that the initiative would attract foreign investors into Nigeria’s gold value chain while promoting internationally accepted standards in the country’s precious minerals industry. He added that the expansion of the Council’s ISO-certified laboratory services would enable the testing and verification of not only gold but also other precious minerals, thereby strengthening the Council’s institutional capacity and enhancing Nigeria’s credibility in the global minerals market.
The meeting between the Council and KEW Limited represents the preliminary stage of discussions between both parties, which are aimed at establishing a framework for government-verified and certified solid mineral exports from Nigeria that meet international standards
