IKE-MUONSO LEADS AFRICA’S PUSH TO TURN RAW MATERIALS INTO INDUSTRIAL WEALTH

RMRDC DG champions technology, local processing, investment deals as Africa seeks jobs and economic independence

By Joy Omagha Idam

Africa must move beyond exporting raw materials and importing finished products by building industries that transform its abundant natural resources into jobs, technology and sustainable wealth, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Martins Ike-Muonso Nnanyelugo, has declared.

Ike-Muonso made the call at the second African Raw Materials Summit (ARMS) 2026 in Abuja, where he challenged African governments, manufacturers, researchers and investors to replace policy declarations with concrete industrial investments capable of changing the continent’s economic fortunes.

Speaking on the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factory,” the RMRDC chief argued that Africa’s development prospects would remain constrained unless countries developed the capacity to process their mineral and agricultural resources locally and capture greater value from their production.

He warned that the continued export of unprocessed commodities deprives African economies of employment opportunities, industrial expertise, technology development and revenue that could otherwise support national growth.

“We have harvested the wealth beneath our soil, but we have continued to export our jobs, our wealth and the dreams of our youth,” he said.

Ike-Muonso insisted that the summit must deliver measurable outcomes rather than another round of discussions, urging participants to establish partnerships and sign agreements that would translate into functioning processing plants, manufacturing facilities and employment opportunities.

“Let the second African Raw Materials Summit not be remembered for eloquent speeches alone, but for concrete industrial deals signed,” he challenged delegates.

RMRDC Pushes Technology-Driven Industrialisation

At the centre of Ike-Muonso’s industrialisation agenda is the need to connect scientific research with practical manufacturing, particularly by developing affordable processing technologies suited to Nigerian industries.

He disclosed that RMRDC had designed, fabricated and deployed pilot processing plants and industrial machinery to help manufacturers process local raw materials more efficiently.

The technologies include mineral beneficiation equipment, high-grade lithium concentration systems, agro-processing mills and chemical extraction technologies.

According to him, these interventions are intended to reduce dependence on imported machinery while expanding opportunities for Nigerian entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized enterprises to establish competitive processing businesses.

The initiative also addresses a longstanding challenge in Nigeria’s industrial development: the gap between research discoveries and their commercial application.

Ike-Muonso stressed that research institutions must do more than generate scientific knowledge; they must develop practical solutions that manufacturers can adopt to increase production, improve efficiency and create economic value.

He called for stronger partnerships among universities, research institutions, government agencies, manufacturers and investors to accelerate technology transfer and commercialise indigenous innovations.

Data, Partnerships to Drive Industrial Investment

The RMRDC director-general also highlighted the Council’s deployment of the Nigerian Industrial Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISR), a data-driven platform designed to improve access to information about raw material deposits, geographical distribution, processing capacity and industrial demand.

He explained that reliable information would help investors identify resource-rich locations, assess the availability of raw materials and make informed decisions about where to establish processing and manufacturing facilities.

The platform is expected to strengthen connections between raw material suppliers and industries while improving investment planning and supporting the development of resource-based industrial clusters.

Ike-Muonso further pointed to international technology partnerships, including collaboration with the National Research Centre for Engineering and Technology Innovation in Shanghai, China, as part of efforts to strengthen industrial research and technology transfer.

He also underscored the importance of working with domestic development finance institutions, including the Bank of Industry, to support the commercialisation of research and expansion of manufacturing capacity.

For him, the objective is to ensure that innovations move beyond laboratories into viable businesses, industrial equipment and production facilities.

Nigeria First Policy Offers Fresh Opportunity

Ike-Muonso identified purposeful leadership and consistent policies as essential to building a strong industrial economy.

He commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration for the Nigeria First policy framework introduced in May 2025, which seeks to promote domestic production through government procurement.

According to him, public procurement can provide local manufacturers with dependable demand, encourage investment in production facilities and strengthen the market for Nigerian-made goods.

He also cited the Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 and the proposed 30 per cent raw materials value-addition requirement as important elements in the drive to strengthen local manufacturing.

However, he stressed that policy commitments must be backed by effective implementation, access to finance, appropriate technology, research commercialisation and incentives that encourage businesses to process raw materials within the country.

He maintained that Nigeria’s natural resource endowment would deliver greater economic benefits when linked to viable industries capable of supplying both domestic and international markets.

AfCFTA and the Future of African Manufacturing

Beyond Nigeria, Ike-Muonso called for stronger regional industrial cooperation under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He argued that the agreement could expand markets for African manufacturers, provided countries develop the capacity to produce competitive goods and strengthen regional supply chains.

Rather than allowing individual countries to export raw commodities to external markets, he encouraged African nations to collaborate across different stages of processing and manufacturing.

Such cooperation, he said, could stimulate intra-African trade, reduce dependence on imported industrial inputs and enable countries to benefit from one another’s resources, expertise and productive capacity.

He highlighted opportunities in mineral processing, battery-related industries, renewable energy, food processing, chemicals and other resource-based manufacturing sectors.

With global demand for minerals such as lithium and cobalt increasing, Ike-Muonso maintained that African countries must pursue opportunities beyond extraction by developing the technologies and facilities needed to produce higher-value industrial inputs.

He also advocated greater investment in agricultural processing to improve returns for farmers, create opportunities for entrepreneurs and strengthen rural economies.

From Summit Commitments to Industrial Results

The RMRDC boss urged participants to measure the success of ARMS 2026 by the investments mobilised, projects implemented, jobs created and quantities of raw materials processed locally.

He emphasised that sustainable industrialisation requires coordinated action by governments, financial institutions, research organisations and the private sector, supported by predictable policies and long-term investment.

For Nigeria, he reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to advancing industrial development through research, indigenous technology, reliable raw materials information and strategic partnerships.

His message to African leaders and investors was that natural resources alone cannot guarantee prosperity. The continent must develop the technical capacity, infrastructure and industrial partnerships required to turn those resources into finished products and competitive businesses.

As the second African Raw Materials Summit seeks to strengthen cooperation across the continent, Ike-Muonso’s challenge places practical industrial delivery at the heart of Africa’s economic transformation.

The ultimate test, he maintained, is whether Africa can convert its resource wealth into productive industries, sustainable employment and greater economic independence