By Joel Ajayi and Blessing Otobong-gabriel
Federal Government has unveiled a 10-year strategic plan aimed at transforming the country’s raw materials sector and driving economic growth.
The plan, which was launched by the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Senator John Owen Enoh at the close of a 3 days Africa Raw Materials summit outlines a comprehensive roadmap for the development of Nigeria’s raw materials, with a focus on increasing value addition, promoting industrialization, and creating jobs.
The Minister emphasized that the Implementation is crucial, importance of turning plans and policies into actionable steps and tangible results.
He suggested that the action over theme events and policies should focus on achieving concrete outcomes rather than just being centered around a theme.
He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for being strong on implementation and results-driven.
He expressed gratitude to the Ministers and others involved in the effort, highlighting the importance of acknowledging contributions.
Speaking, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer of Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof Nnanyelugo M. Ike-Muonso said the Africa Raw Materials Summit highlighted the importance of the summit in mobilizing the continent to prioritize raw material processing and value addition.
He emphasized the need for legislation to support the export of raw materials and the importance of implementation and monitoring, involving various stakeholders, adding that there is need to create a conducive environment for manufacturers, addressing issues such as tariffs, power, and competitiveness.
The DG, highlights Nigeria’s efforts to take a leadership role in promoting raw material value addition and industrialization in Africa.
Also, The Director General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria highlighted the significance of the Africa Raw Materials Summit in promoting industrialization and economic development.
He explained that there’s the need to harness Nigeria’s raw materials to improve productivity, enhance economies of scale, and drive industrialization, saying it is important for intentional programming and planning to create a conducive atmosphere for industrialization, including policies that promote the sourcing of raw materials locally.
According to him, there should be a deliberate government action to support industrialization, including through the implementation of policies and regulations that promote local production.
