By Oluwaseyi Otitoju
The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo M. Ike-Muonso, has pledged the Council’s partnership with the National Sugarcane Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NASPPMAN) to promote value addition in the sugarcane sector and the valorisation of sugarcane waste, commonly known as bagasse.
Prof. Ike-Muonso made the commitment when a delegation from the association, led by its President, Mr. Cornelius Agenyi, paid a courtesy visit to the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr. Agenyi called for RMRDC’s collaboration in advocating to relevant authorities for the development of the sugarcane sector. He stressed that strategic recognition of sugarcane as an industrial raw material would significantly boost industries that depend on it for production and enhance national economic growth.
The DG, alongside members of the Council’s senior management team, engaged the NASPPMAN delegation in extensive deliberations on repositioning the sugarcane industry as a key driver of Nigeria’s industrialisation agenda.
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The discussions culminated in an agreement to pursue initiatives that would ensure optimal value addition to sugarcane and its by-products, particularly through the transformation of bagasse into valuable secondary raw materials for industrial use.
Valorised sugarcane bagasse, the stakeholders noted, can be utilised in the production of eco-friendly disposable tableware such as plates, bowls and cups, biodegradable packaging materials, paper and pulp products, biofuel for electricity and steam generation, as well as ethanol.
Both parties expressed optimism that the partnership would unlock significant employment opportunities along the sugarcane value chain, especially for youths and women, while strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to convert local raw materials into finished, globally competitive products.
