Deputy Director, Process Equipment Maintenance Division, Raw Materials Research and Development Council RMRDC, Engr. Obassi Ettu.

The Federal Government of Nigeria is working on a new policy framework aimed at achieving a minimum of 30 per cent value addition for all the country’s agro-allied raw materials exports, according to Raw Materials Research and Development Council RMRDC. The initiative, according to the Council, is designed to boost the competitiveness of Nigeria’s Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and enhance the nation’s industrial base.

Speaking at the Business Session of the pre-9th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers GOCOP held in Lagos, Wednesday, Deputy Director, Process Equipment Maintenance Division of RMRDC, Engr. Obassi Ettu, noted that this policy had become necessary to enhance the development of the country’s industrial base and boost earnings from such exports.

He further disclosed that the policy is designed to harness the potential of Nigeria’s agro-allied raw materials with a view to processing them to yield multiple products, as against the current practice of exporting them in their very raw and unprocessed form, which deprives the country of significant economic value.

“Some of these materials can produce three or four end-products, but importers only pay for one. This is why we are insisting that at least 30per cent of value must be added locally before export,” Ettu explained.

He further revealed that the Council is deepening international collaboration through an ongoing partnership with China focused on capacity building and seedling development.

“We send our staff to China annually for training. It has been impactful. For instance, we have developed 13 varieties of sweet sorghum and are currently conducting toxicological tests to ensure their safety for human consumption,” he said.

Ettu also expressed concerns over Nigeria’s continued importation of raw materials despite her vast natural endowments, stressing that RMRDC now advises the Federal Government on which materials to restrict or substitute for local alternatives.

“We have adopted a policy of applied, commercialised research and development (R&D). Through reverse engineering, we’ve developed technologies for processing various raw materials locally,” he stated.

Describing RMRDC as a “child of circumstance” born out of Nigeria’s past economic downturns, Ettu said the Council’s present mission is to harness and transform the country’s abundant raw materials into viable industrial inputs.

Looking ahead, he noted that RMRDC’s focus is on wealth creation through practical innovation.

“We are experimenting with tomato seeds that households can grow and sell to nearby restaurants. But for these initiatives to succeed, we need a system that ensures policy continuity to consolidate the gains we have made,” he assured.