News Investigators/ The future and economic prosperity of Nigeria and African depends on addition of value to its abundant raw materials.
Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja.
Mr Ike-Muonso stated this during a courtesy visit by Ali M. Ali, Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), to the council’s headquarters.
Mr Ike-Muonso said that processing raw materials locally was the key to strengthening industrial manufacturing, stabilising the national currency, and boosting foreign exchange reserves.
“The future of this country, the prosperity of this country, is not possible until this agency and its activities are given the priority attention it deserves.
“Africa and Nigeria have something to offer the world, but the significant, substantial part of what they offer today has to do with our raw materials.
“The valorisation of these raw materials is what is going to change the destiny of this country and this continent, and this is what we have been set up to do.
“To strengthen industrial activities, manufacturing, the price of our currency, and the supply of foreign exchange and all of that, which are at the centre of our prosperity for Nigeria.
“If that is the case, it is therefore important that those activities that we do, that should bring this prosperity is known, is mainstreamed, is communicated to quarters that should know about them,” he said.
He also disclosed that the council was set to relaunch its scientific publication, the Journal of Raw Materials (JOMA) to showcase Nigerian research to the international community.
“We want what we are doing to be felt in Kenya, Uganda, South Africa, Nairobi, and all corners of the earth. That is the value I see the News Agency of Nigeria bringing to us,” he said.
Mr Ike-Muonso, who described the proposed collaboration with NAN as the council’s most tangible media alliance, expressed confidence that it would also breathe new life into the JOMA.
“This council has been in existence since 1988 and since then, it has significantly churned out lots and loads of research.
“I think, working with you, we need to focus on this. Because that’s actually what people who are interested in us are going to be looking for,” he said.
Earlier in his remarks, Mr Ali emphasised the need for more media awareness to promote research for development.
Mr Ali said that the visit aimed at establishing a robust partnership to promote the commercialisation of research outputs in the country.
He expressed NAN’s commitment to using its vast national and international reach to amplify scientific breakthroughs in Nigeria, especially from RMRDC, to the global markets.
“NAN have been Africa’s biggest news content provider, we believe that unless you amplify and publicise your remarkable progress, your efforts may go unnoticed,” he said.
Mr Ali said that many Nigeria’s research institutes and their works often suffer low visibility.
Mr Ali said that the agency has over 500 reporters with offices across all states of the federation, 12 zonal offices, and across the 109 senatorial districts.
“Given our reach, reputation, and the workforce at our disposal, we seek a win-win partnership where we can amplify your activities to multiple clienteles who can take them further,” Ali said.
He added that the strategic alliance would directly support the economic diversification goals of the Federal Government under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.
Also speaking, Dr Sebastian Ebierekwe, RMRDC Director of the Agriculture and Agro-Allied Department, noted that the media plays a pivotal role in economic development and commercialisation of research.
“If there is abundant raw material, human capital, and innovation, but the product is not publicised, nobody will know it is there,” Ebierekwe said.
He expressed confidence that the partnership would lead to industrialisation of the country and improve import substitution.
Similarly, Mr Abubakar Kollere, Director of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Development, described the partnership as strategic, noting the continental interest in RMRDC’s operational model.
Kollere disclosed that countries such as Kenya and Uganda have recently sought insights from the council to set up similar agencies in their respective nations.
The Director of Corporate Affairs (DCA), Mrs Rebecca Nnamdi-Anum, sought NAN’s training support for the council’s media team and partnership on the forthcoming second edition of the African Raw Materials Summit.
Other RMRDC management staff at the meeting include Dr Udodirim Ugbonna, Deputy Director of the Performance Management System, and Mr Musa Damay, Deputy Director of Investment Promotion and Consultancy Services.
Also in attendance were NAN Editor-in-Chief, Mr Mufutau Ojo, Director of Marketing, Mrs Hadiza Aliyu, and the Director of Special Duties, Malam Ismail Abdulaziz.
NAN