By Umar Salihu
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Niger State Coordinating Office, has reiterated the Council’s commitment to promoting the utilisation and value addition of Nigeria’s abundant raw material resources, urging Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to leverage locally available raw materials to accelerate industrialisation, enhance competitiveness and stimulate sustainable economic growth.
The call was made by the Niger State Coordinator of RMRDC, Dr. Abdulrasheed Mohammed, in a keynote address delivered on his behalf by Senior Scientific Officer, Mr. Mustapha Mohammed Nma, during the 2026 Global MSME Day celebration held in Minna.
The event, themed “MSMEs: Powering Local Raw Materials for Global Impact,” was organised by HADMOH Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Initiatives in collaboration with the RMRDC Niger State Coordinating Office and the Niger State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed described MSMEs as critical drivers of economic growth, innovation and employment generation, noting that they account for nearly 90 per cent of businesses globally and continue to play a significant role in strengthening local economies. He observed that in Niger State, MSMEs contribute substantially to employment and livelihoods through activities such as shea butter processing in Bida, rice milling in Mokwa and metal fabrication in Minna.
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He noted that Niger State is richly endowed with strategic raw materials, including shea nuts, soybean, sesame, kaolin and limestone, stressing that the Council remains focused on promoting their sustainable development, utilisation and value addition in line with its statutory mandate. According to him, processing these resources into finished and semi-finished products is essential for reducing dependence on imports, increasing local industrial capacity and creating wealth.
The State Coordinator explained that RMRDC continues to implement programmes and initiatives aimed at supporting MSMEs through technology acquisition and transfer, research commercialisation, capacity building, product development and strategic partnerships that enhance enterprise competitiveness and promote indigenous industrial development.
Highlighting some of the Council’s interventions in Niger State, he disclosed that the Council has supported the Kwakwuti Women Rice Cooperative Society to improve milling efficiency and market access, facilitated the establishment of a cashew processing plant at Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai, with equipment for producing processed cashew nuts and beverages, and promoted improved crop varieties alongside agronomic best practices to enhance agricultural productivity.
He further revealed that the Council is intensifying efforts to improve MSMEs’ access to modern processing technologies, facilitate stronger collaboration with key development institutions, including the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN), the Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), while providing reliable information on raw material availability, processing technologies and market opportunities to support informed investment decisions.
Participants at the workshop also received presentations on business formalisation, taxation, financing opportunities and enterprise development. Representatives of the Nigeria Revenue Service, the Bank of Industry and Sterling Bank highlighted available incentives, grants and financial support designed to strengthen MSMEs and improve their access to markets.
The programme featured an interactive question-and-answer session, experience-sharing by entrepreneurs and an award presentation to distinguished personalities in recognition of their contributions to MSME development.
