The Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic overhaul of Nigeria’s manufacturing model, urging the country to slash its dependence on imported raw materials by at least 60 per cent within the next five years.
Speaking at the 2025 edition of the Nigeria Manufacturing & Equipment and Nigerian Raw Materials Expo in Lagos on Tuesday, Ike-Muonso warned that Nigeria’s heavy reliance on imported inputs poses a structural threat to its industrialisation agenda.
“In the first nine months of 2024, Nigeria’s raw material import bill stood at ₦4.53 trillion. Over 70 per cent of manufacturing inputs are imported. This exposes a core weakness — we export raw, import refined, and outsource jobs and value before any real economic activity begins at home,” he stated.
To reverse this trend, Ike-Muonso recommended a minimum 60 per cent reduction in raw material imports, accompanied by a deliberate increase in local resource utilisation. He stressed that Nigeria already possesses the ingredients for rapid industrialisation, including over 120 commercially viable solid minerals, abundant agricultural produce, and a youthful workforce.
However, he said what remains lacking is “strategic coordination, bold implementation, and technology-backed commitment.”
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that the manufacturing sector contributed only 9.62 per cent to Nigeria’s GDP in Q1 2025 down from 9.8 per cent in the same period last year further underscoring the sector’s stagnation despite the country’s untapped resource base.
To stimulate domestic manufacturing, the RMRDC boss called for tax incentives for local value addition, the creation of industrial hubs around strategic raw material zones, deeper industry-research collaboration, and financing for infrastructure and technology transfer. He also emphasised the integration of small and medium-sized enterprises across the industrial value chain.
As part of its own contribution, RMRDC has commissioned a Research and Demonstration Plant Complex at the rehabilitated Obasanjo Space Centre in Abuja, showcasing over 50 pilot plants and equipment designed and built locally. According to Ike-Muonso, the facility serves as “proof that Nigeria can transform raw materials into wealth, right here at home.”
He further revealed that the National Assembly has passed the RMRDC Amendment Bill 2025, which mandates a minimum of 30 per cent local value addition before any raw material can be exported. He described the legislation as “a turning point — from exporting raw jobs to nurturing them in our soil.”
He also noted that products manufactured locally at a commercial scale will be automatically protected under Executive Order 5, which bans imports of any such goods. Citing solar panels as an example, Ike-Muonso said the policy is already yielding results.
In line with this goal, he disclosed that the government is working to attract Chinese and other international manufacturers to relocate their production facilities to Nigeria, further boosting local content and job creation.
Also speaking at the event, President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Francis Meshioye, lauded the expo’s alignment with the Federal Government’s Nigeria First policy. He stressed the need to adopt cutting-edge technologies, smart factory systems, and sustainable practices to foster innovation and competitiveness in the sector.
“By embracing technology and promoting locally made goods, we are building long-term value for both the economy and our stakeholders,” he said.
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