Akor Sylvester, Abuja
The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, has stated that Nigeria must commercialise its research outcomes to achieve economic and political independence.
Udeh who stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a press briefing on the second edition of the African Raw Materials Summit (ARMS 2026), organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), said no nation could achieve genuine independence while relying heavily on foreign technology.
He emphasized that science, technology and innovation were critical to national development, noting that: “The foundation of advancement is innovation, science and technology. If you are dependent, you are not yet free or independent as it relates to technology, science and innovation. You can’t actually be independent politically and economically,”.
The minister stressed that commercialising research outcomes would accelerate industrialisation, create economic opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s productive capacity.
He said achieving President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy target would require the country to deploy science, technology and innovation to build a knowledge-based economy.
“If we would move from where we are, in terms of the economy, to the targeted $1 trillion GDP, then we have to mobilise our science, technology and innovation to make it work,” he said.
On the objectives of ARMS 2026, Udeh said the summit would review progress made since its maiden edition, assess performance, identify gaps and develop measures to address outstanding challenges.
He said the summit would bring together African ministers responsible for science, technology and innovation, officials overseeing raw materials, researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders across the continent’s raw materials value chain.
On the proposed amendment to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act, the minister said the bill contained incentives to encourage industry players to embrace a minimum of 30 per cent value addition to raw materials.
He said, the incentives would make compliance attractive to stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of the proposed policy.
He said government is pushing for a mandatory minimum of 30 per cent value addition to Nigeria’s raw materials before export, in a move aimed at boosting local industries, creating jobs and reducing dependence on unprocessed commodity exports.
He said the proposed requirement was contained in an amendment to the law establishing the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), which had been passed by the National Assembly and returned to President Bola Tinubu for further action.
According to Udeh, once signed into law, the measure would require raw materials to undergo at least 30 percent value addition before export, with implementation phased to reflect available industrial capacity.
He said the policy was designed to shift Nigeria and other African countries from exporting raw commodities to producing and exporting finished and semi-finished goods.
The minister clarified that the RMRDC would provide research and technical support to industries, while private-sector players would be responsible for turning research findings into commercial products and industrial ventures.
Udeh also identified the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund as a potential source of financing for research and the commercialisation of innovations, stressing that scientific discoveries must translate into viable businesses to drive industrialisation.
He said the initiative formed part of the Federal Government’s broader ambition to build a knowledge-based economy and grow Nigeria’s gross domestic product to $1 trillion.
The minister expressed optimism that effective implementation of the policy, alongside research commercialisation, could attract investment, create jobs and encourage the establishment of more factories.
He projected that the initiatives could contribute to a 30 per cent increase in industrial growth within two years, although he did not provide details of the projection’s baseline or methodology.
On technology transfer, Udeh said the government was encouraging technology manufacturers to establish production or assembly facilities in Nigeria rather than rely solely on imports.
He cited a smart-school initiative involving a facility in Edo State, reportedly backed by an investment valued at about $50 million, to assemble or manufacture devices for educational use.
The minister said the African Raw Materials Summit would bring together governments, researchers, investors and industry leaders to identify practical ways of retaining more of the value generated from Africa’s natural and agricultural resources.
He added that the summit would focus on collaboration, reviewing progress since the maiden event in Berlin, identifying implementation gaps and developing follow-up mechanisms to monitor agreed commitments.
The Director-General of RMRDC, Prof Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, commended the minister for supporting the council and its efforts to advance the proposed raw materials legislation.
He also thanked Udeh for promoting the council and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
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