The director-general of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso has embarked on a high-level stakeholder engagement and sensitisation tour across Lagos State in preparation for the African Raw Materials Summit.
The summit, scheduled for May 20th to 22nd, 2025, in Abuja, is expected to bring together key players across Africa’s raw materials value chain to foster collaboration and drive industrial growth on the continent.
This engagement exercise is part of several initiatives spearheaded by the DG to ensure that the summit achieves its objectives. The event is set to be a landmark gathering, creating a first-of-its-kind interactive session that will shape the future of raw materials development in Africa.
The DG, leading a team from RMRDC, visited major industry players, including Flour Mills Nigeria, BUA Group, OLAM Agri, Honeywell Flour Mills, among others. These organisations are critical stakeholders in Nigeria’s agro-industrial sector and their involvement is essential for the success of the summit.
At Flour Mills Nigeria (FMN), the DG and his team were warmly welcomed by the company’s top management, represented by Chidinma Osuoha. Ike-Muonso commended Flour Mills for its long-standing commitment to backward integration and its efforts to source raw materials from local farmers. He emphasised that the summit would provide an opportunity for FMN and similar industry leaders to showcase their achievements, network with continental partners, and contribute to shaping the future of Africa’s industrial growth. The DG revealed that over 72 African countries had already confirmed their participation in the summit, underscoring its significance as a pan-African event.
Ike-Muonso stated that the summit was organised to address limitations in raw material sourcing and to explore ways to harness the strengths that exist within Africa. He highlighted the proposed 30 per cent Raw Material Value Addition Bill, which seeks to ensure that local raw materials undergo value addition before export. This, he explained, would curb the practice of exporting raw materials without processing, thereby reducing the insufficiency of raw materials available for local industries. The DG also introduced RMRDC’s newly developed Raw Material Management Information System, which aims to provide manufacturers with access to vital data on locally available raw materials.
He stressed the importance of equipping manufacturers with information on raw material locations, characteristics, and investment opportunities to enable them to make informed decisions about sourcing locally instead of importing. Ike-Muonso further noted that the summit would serve as a platform for Africa to establish itself as a competitive player in the global raw materials market.
The consultant for the summit, Prof. Bernard Odoh, reiterated the significance of the event, describing it as a game changer for the African raw materials sector. He explained that the summit would create a unified platform for African countries to share innovations, policies, and investment opportunities related to raw materials development. He also outlined sponsorship and partnership opportunities available in different categories – platinum, gold, silver and bronze – allowing organisations to support the summit while benefiting from its strategic importance.
In response, FMN’s Group head of procurement, Mr. Chidinma Osuagwu lauded RMRDC’s initiative, noting that Flour Mills Nigeria is deeply invested in sourcing local raw materials such as cassava, millet, wheat and maize. He highlighted that FMN has a mini-processing plant in Kano State dedicated to raw material processing, with a long-term goal of expanding the use of alternative flour products. However, he pointed out that the biggest raw material used by FMN is wheat, which is predominantly imported due to the low production levels in Nigeria. He revealed that the country consumes about 600,000 tonnes of wheat annually, while domestic production stands at only 60,000 tonnes. Despite these challenges, he assured the RMRDC team that FMN remains committed to increasing local wheat production, supporting farmers with seedlings, and reducing reliance on imports. He described the upcoming summit as timely and expressed FMN’s willingness to partner in the event.
At Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, a subsidiary of Flour Mills of Nigeria, the RMRDC team was received by the head of site operations, Mr. Isunoya Boniface. The consultant and chairman of the summit’s local organising committee, Prof. Bernard Odoh explained the purpose of the visit, emphasising that a partnership between Honeywell Flour Mills and RMRDC would be mutually beneficial. He highlighted that the summit would open new doors for knowledge sharing and industrial collaboration.
Ike-Muonso reiterated the importance of the summit in unlocking Africa’s raw materials potential. He pointed out that the African raw materials market remains largely untapped and that the event would create opportunities for networking, investment and technological advancements. He also mentioned that RMRDC is conducting varietal studies to improve wheat production in Nigeria and that discussions on this topic would be a key part of the summit.
In response, Boniface acknowledged that raw materials account for approximately 80 per cent of business costs in the manufacturing sector. He recognised the importance of the summit to Honeywell Flour Mills and the wider industry and assured the RMRDC team that the company would explore ways to participate actively.
At BUA Group, the DG was received by senior management officials, including the regional manager for health, safety and environment, Engr. Dr. Samuel Shokunbi and the refinery manager, Engr. Daniel Balogun. Shokunbi assured the RMRDC delegation that BUA Group recognised the importance of the summit and would assess the potential benefits before making a commitment to partnership.
The RMRDC team also visited OLAM Agri in Apapa, Lagos, where they were received by the procurement manager (imports), Olumide Fadeyi. Ike-Muonso emphasised the significance of involving high-premium industries such as Olam in the summit, noting that its participation would be crucial given the company’s leading role in agro-industrial processing. He reiterated that over 72 countries had confirmed their participation and stressed the need for industries like Olam to engage in discussions on raw materials processing and value addition.
Prof. Bernard Odoh highlighted that Olam’s heavy reliance on raw materials made it a natural partner for RMRDC. He noted that the legislative bill on 30 per cent value addition, currently being championed by RMRDC, would strengthen the local supply chain and reduce dependence on imports. He encouraged both government and private sector collaboration to ensure that industries have ready access to high-quality raw materials. Odoh also emphasised that the summit would serve as a platform for key stakeholders to exchange ideas, explore investment opportunities and enhance manufacturing processes.
To formalise the engagement, Odoh presented the event brochure to Fadeyi, who received it on behalf of Olam Agri. He commended RMRDC’s efforts in promoting local raw materials development and assured the team that he would communicate the details of the summit to Olam’s management.
The DG was accompanied on the tour by several senior officials, including the chairman of the local organising committee and consultant for the African Raw Materials Summit, Prof. Bernard Odoh; Director of planning and statistics, Mrs. Rachael Kotso; Coordinator of the Lagos State office, Mr. John Morinho; Assistant director of the directorate of corporate affairs, Mrs. Stella Azi and chief information officer, Mrs. Adaora Adibe along with other staff members from the council.
As the countdown to the African Raw Materials Summit continues, the RMRDC remains committed to mobilising stakeholders and fostering strategic collaborations to ensure that Africa takes its rightful place in the global raw materials market. The summit is expected to shape policies, promote industrialisation and unlock new opportunities for sustainable economic development across the continent.
