The director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso has asserted that the application of nanotechnology is critical to economic revitalization and the realization of a green revolution.
He made this known during the 6th Conference on Application of Nanotechnology in Energy, Environment, Agriculture and Health, held at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN).
Presenting the keynote address at the event organized by the Nano Research Group (NRG – University of Nigeria, Nsukka) in collaboration with OilServ Group Ltd, Prof. Ike-Muonso who chaired the opening ceremony, applauded the Nano Group for the initiative and vision to promote nanotechnology in Nigeria.
He noted that the global nanotechnology market, valued at USD 75 billion in 2021, is projected to exceed USD 401 billion by 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of approximately 13.7%, yet Africa contributes less than 2% of global nanotechnology patents and publications.
The DG described the conference as strategic; a platform where academics, eminent scholars and relevant stakeholders converge to share knowledge, collaborate and chart a way forward for harnessing nanotechnology potentials for sustainable growth and development.
He charged participants to be active, adding that such platform offers a compelling turning point, and holds the power to place Nigeria and the whole of Africa on the map of strategic nanotechnology innovation.
He said that nanotechnology has been envisioned by experts as “the cornerstone of a smarter Africa, explaining it to be a science of manipulating materials at the atomic or molecular scale, a domain where the seemingly invisible gives birth to revolutionary advances across multiple sectors”.
In his presentation, he pointed out that Nigeria with over 240 million people and a rising energy demand, must key into these frontier innovations. The global nanotechnology energy sector is expanding at a CAGR of 13.3% through 2030. We must invest I research-to-market pathways and support collaborations between relevant Institutions like UNN and the RMRDC.
According Prof. Ike-Muonso, energy security remains at the core of economic growth and nanotechnology is offering breakthrough solutions: from nanostructured solar cells with higher conversion efficiency to energy storage systems using carbon nanotubes for super capacitors and lithium-ion batteries.
In his address, covering the potentials and prospects of nanotechnology in biofuel, he revealed that Nigeria faces challenges of oil spills, e-waste, heavy metal contamination, and industrial pollution, while nanotechnology is providing solution: nanocomposite materials like magnetic carbon nanotubes, nanozeolites, and titanium dioxide membranes are proving effective for soil restoration. “A recent review has recommended the institutionalization of nano remediation for long term ecological restoration”, he said.
Prof. Ike-Muonso X–rayed nanotechnology in agriculture and crop production, healthcare and nanomedicines for disease control, worthy of note were countries like India and South Korea that have made significant stride using nanotechnology.
He said that with the right investment and application, nanotechnology will transform Nigeria’s environmental landscape, turning persistent national concerns into a resolved chapter of the nation’s history.
“With Nigeria’s over 70 million hectares of arable land, nanotechnology holds promises for a true green revolution, and the RMRDC, vested with the mandate to promote local content development and utilization for industrialization, is interested in partnership with relevant stakeholders to promote research and development (R&D) in this regard”.
In his remarks, the coordinator, Nano Research Group and director, research at UNN Prof. Fabian Ezeama, expressed optimism at the proposed partnership between NRG-UNN and RMRDC in promoting nanotechnology initiatives in Nigeria.
He said the role of RMRDC in promoting research and development in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized, and with the present administration, which is focused and goal oriented, the Nano Research Group-UNN is proud to be associated with the council.
