The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called on Nigerians and key stakeholders across the public and private sectors to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda, stressing that local value addition and raw material development remain critical to Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Speaking during a stakeholder engagement forum held at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja on Monday, Prof. Ike-Muonso said Nigeria must move away from its long-standing dependence on the export of raw materials and embrace industrial processing to build a resilient and competitive economy.
According to him, the industrialisation drive championed by President Tinubu under the Nigeria First Policy and Renewed Hope Agenda is designed to boost manufacturing, deepen local production, reduce import dependence, and create sustainable jobs for millions of Nigerians.
He noted that the recently launched Nigeria Industrial Policy, unveiled by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, provides a clear roadmap for achieving these objectives, with the RMRDC playing a strategic role through research, policy advocacy, innovation, and collaboration with industry stakeholders.
“For us to industrialise, we must move from exporting raw materials to processing them here at home. That is the heart of Mr. President’s vision. But this vision cannot succeed without deliberate support from all stakeholders,” Ike-Muonso said.
The RMRDC boss identified policy inconsistency, inadequate funding for research and development, and weak linkages between research institutions and manufacturers as major obstacles to industrial growth.
He lamented that despite Nigeria’s abundant natural resources, a significant proportion of raw materials used by local manufacturers are still imported, describing the situation as economically unsustainable.
Prof. Ike-Muonso urged state governments, development partners, investors, and industry leaders to align with the Federal Government’s industrial policy by investing in local raw material development and increasing patronage of Nigerian-made industrial inputs.
He disclosed that the Council is implementing several initiatives aimed at strengthening the nation’s industrial base, including the development of the Nigeria Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).
According to him, NISSRAMP is a comprehensive and integrated database designed to provide critical information on raw materials and products, enhance access to reliable industrial data, and support evidence-based decision-making for investors, manufacturers, and policymakers.
He explained that the initiative forms part of RMRDC’s contribution to the successful implementation of President Tinubu’s industrial development agenda.
The Director-General further advocated stronger legislative measures to protect local industries and discourage the export of unprocessed minerals, agricultural produce, and other raw materials.
“If we continue to export our lithium, shea butter and kaolin in raw form, we are exporting jobs and wealth. President Tinubu’s policy is clear: process it here, create jobs here, retain value here,” he stated.
Participants at the forum, drawn from both public and private sector organisations, expressed support for the Federal Government’s industrialisation programme and pledged to deepen collaboration with the RMRDC to improve local sourcing of industrial inputs.
They also assured the Council of their readiness to increase the use of Nigerian raw materials, provided quality standards and supply consistency are maintained.
Responding, Prof. Ike-Muonso reaffirmed RMRDC’s commitment to providing technical support, promoting innovation, and strengthening research outputs to meet industry requirements and reduce production costs for manufacturers.
He emphasized that industrialisation should not be viewed solely as a government responsibility but as a collective national mission requiring the commitment of all stakeholders.
The RMRDC chief maintained that stronger support for President Tinubu’s industrialisation agenda would accelerate economic diversification, stimulate manufacturing growth, create employment opportunities, and position Nigeria for long-term prosperity.
He called on Nigerians to embrace policies that promote local production and value addition, insisting that the country possesses the resources and potential needed to become a leading industrial hub in Africa if stakeholders work together towards a common goal.
