The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) says it has developed a new policy framework of ensuring 30% value-added on export of local raw materials to support the growth of Small & Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Nigeria.
Engr. Obassi Ettu, the Deputy Director, Process Equipment Maintenance Division at RMRDC, said at the 9th Annual Conference of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP) in Lagos that the policy became imperative because some raw materials have the capacity to generate three or four end-products rather than one being paid for by importers.
Ettu added that RMRDC also has an on-going partnership with China on both capacity building and seedling development.
“We send our people to China every year. It is helping us. For example, in terms of Sweet Sorghum, we have already developed 13 varieties but we are testing the toxicology to determine the effect on human consumption.”
He lamented that Nigeria was importing raw materials even when the country had comparative advantage over other nations.
“Now, we advise the federal government on what raw materials to place a ban on or substitute for local manufacturing. We now have a policy of applied commercialised Research & Development (R & D). We have equally developed technologies for processing raw materials through a process of reverse engineering.”
He described RMRDC as a child of circumstance due to economic downturn in the country then. The current mission of the Council according to him is to develop the abundant raw materials existing in the country.
On the way forward, the RMRDC Deputy Director said:
“We now create wealth for the nation. We are experimenting with tomato seeds that people can grow at home, harvest and sell to restaurants within their neighbourhood. We need a system of policy continuity to sustain the progress made so far by the Council.”
