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Nigeria, Africa Push Local Processing at Abuja Summit
Nigeria, Africa Push Local Processing at Abuja Summit
Nigeria and other African countries have been urged to prioritise local processing of raw materials, expand manufacturing capacity and strengthen regional industrial cooperation to accelerate economic growth and reduce dependence on imported finished products.
The call was made at the Second African Raw Materials Summit (ARMS 2026), organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Abuja under the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factories.”
The two-day summit brought together government officials, lawmakers, researchers, manufacturers, investors and development partners to explore strategies for converting Africa’s abundant mineral and agricultural resources into industrial wealth, employment and sustainable economic development.
Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, who delivered the keynote address on behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said Africa must move away from exporting unprocessed commodities while importing finished products at higher costs.
He stressed that the continent could no longer afford to surrender the jobs, technology and economic benefits associated with processing its natural resources to foreign economies.
Enoh advocated the establishment of raw-material aggregation centres and industrial corridors to connect farms, mining sites, suppliers and manufacturing facilities, noting that improved logistics and reliable supply chains would reduce production costs and attract investment.
He also called for the effective implementation of Nigeria’s Industrial Policy, backward integration initiatives and Executive Orders 003 and 005, which promote the patronage of locally manufactured goods by government institutions.
The minister cited initiatives in shea processing and the “From Bean to Bar” cocoa value-addition drive as examples of efforts to retain more economic value within Nigeria.
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He urged foreign investors to establish processing plants and factories in African countries rather than concentrate solely on extracting resources for export.
30% Local Value-Addition Proposal
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A major issue at the summit was a proposed legislative measure seeking to require at least 30 per cent value addition to Nigerian raw materials before export.
The proposal is intended to encourage domestic processing, stimulate manufacturing investment and strengthen local supply chains in sectors including cocoa, lithium, sesame, hides and skins, and other agricultural and mineral resources.
However, speakers gave differing accounts of the bill’s legislative status. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Aminu Iya Abbas, said the bill had been retransmitted to the National Assembly for consideration, while Enoh indicated that comments from the Office of the Attorney-General, following its submission to the President, were still being addressed.
The bill’s current status and the remaining steps towards enactment were not conclusively established at the summit.
Some participants also advocated a longer-term target of up to 50 per cent value addition in appropriate sectors, arguing that Africa should progressively expand its domestic processing and manufacturing capacity.
They cautioned, however, that legislation alone would not deliver industrial transformation without reliable electricity, affordable financing, modern technology, efficient transport networks and consistent policy implementation.
AfCFTA Key to Regional Industrial Growth
Participants identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an important platform for expanding intra-African trade and building cross-border manufacturing networks.
Enoh said African countries could strengthen their industrial capacity by supplying raw materials, intermediate goods, components and industrial services to one another, thereby creating larger markets for locally manufactured products.
Former RMRDC Director-General, Dr A. A. Ali, also called for stronger continental cooperation, reduced trade barriers and improved investment opportunities.
In a presentation titled “An Overview of Investment Opportunities in Africa and the Way Forward,” Ali identified opportunities in food and beverages, pulp and paper, wood products, textiles, rubber and plastics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, minerals, motor vehicles, energy, infrastructure and tourism.
He urged African governments to develop detailed investment profiles to enable potential investors to identify viable projects and make informed investment decisions.
Similarly, Director-General of the Pan African Alliance for Small and Medium Industries, Dr Henry Imedio, called for practical commitments to mineral beneficiation, local processing and manufacturing.
He stressed that international partnerships and bilateral agreements should support Africa’s development priorities and promote economic independence.
RMRDC Unveils Local Processing Technologies
RMRDC Director-General, Professor Martins Ike-Muonso Nnanyelugo, urged stakeholders to move beyond policy declarations and translate industrialisation plans into concrete projects, investment commitments and employment opportunities.
He said the Nigeria First policy and Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025 could stimulate demand for locally manufactured products and encourage domestic production.
Ike-Muonso disclosed that the council was developing and deploying locally adapted processing technologies, including mineral-beneficiation equipment, high-grade lithium concentration systems, agro-processing mills and chemical-extraction technologies.
According to him, the initiatives are designed to bridge the gap between scientific research and industrial production while making processing equipment more accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises.
He emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among universities, research institutions, manufacturers, government agencies and investors to commercialise research findings.
The RMRDC chief also highlighted the Nigerian Industrial Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISR), a data platform intended to provide information on raw-material deposits, their locations, processing capacity and industrial demand.
He said the platform could help investors identify suitable locations for factories, improve access to reliable information and connect raw-material suppliers with manufacturers.
Ike-Muonso added that international technology partnerships and collaboration with development finance institutions could accelerate technology transfer and expand industrial capacity.
He maintained that progress should be measured by actual production, investments secured, jobs created and increases in the volume of raw materials processed locally.
Lithium Processing Presents Investment Opportunities
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology highlighted the interest of a Chinese investor who had reportedly expressed readiness to process lithium in Nigeria rather than export it in its raw form.
According to the minister, the investor already operates a manufacturing plant in Aba, Abia State, and requires coordinated support to pursue the proposed lithium-processing expansion.
The example was presented as an opportunity to link existing manufacturing capacity with mineral processing, technology transfer and higher-value industrial production.
Participants said investments of this nature could generate employment, develop technical skills and retain more economic benefits within Nigeria.
They also stressed that foreign investments should strengthen local expertise and production capacity rather than perpetuate dependence on overseas processing.
Research, Financing and Infrastructure in Focus
The summit highlighted the need to transform scientific research into commercially viable technologies and products capable of supporting industrial growth.
Participants discussed proposals for an African Raw Materials Value Addition Compact and an African Industrial Investment Pipeline to promote local processing and connect viable projects with potential financiers.
They called for stronger partnerships with development finance institutions, including the Bank of Industry, to improve access to funding for industrial projects and the adoption of locally developed technologies.
Manufacturers were also urged to identify imported components that could be produced locally and establish partnerships with Nigerian suppliers capable of meeting international quality standards.
Using motorcycle manufacturing as an example, a presentation argued that international manufacturers could source more components from Nigerian businesses if local suppliers developed the required production capacity.
Other recommendations included the digitisation of licensing procedures, simplified business registration, regulatory stability and the development of industrial parks, manufacturing clusters and processing zones.
Participants also advocated circular-economy practices that would convert agricultural waste, mining residues and scrap materials into useful industrial inputs.
On mining, they called for improved regulation of artisanal operations to address environmental damage and safety concerns, including abandoned mining pits and indiscriminate extraction.
Senate Advocates Legislative Support
Senator Abbas underscored the importance of science, technology, legislation and cooperation among African countries in advancing industrialisation.
He said domestic processing could create jobs, particularly for young people, strengthen local industries and reduce economic dependence.
Citing Uganda’s interest in developing its own refinery rather than relying on processing facilities in Kenya, Abbas stressed the need for countries to build domestic industrial capacity.
He called for stronger cooperation between the executive and legislative arms of government to ensure that industrial policies receive the necessary legislative backing.
The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA), represented by its Director of Policy, Planning and Research, Dr Akoma Henry, also called for stronger links between raw-material development, scientific research and advanced technology.
Speaking on behalf of the agency’s Director-General, Professor Matthew Oladele Adepoju, Henry highlighted the contributions of space applications, rocketry, and physical and life sciences to technological advancement.
He said raw materials were essential to conventional manufacturing as well as space technology and related industrial products, urging stronger partnerships among research institutions, government agencies and private industry to develop indigenous technological capabilities.
The RMRDC Governing Board chairman similarly emphasised the importance of reliable data, technological innovation, technical skills and public-private partnerships in improving the utilisation of local resources.
Committee to Monitor Implementation
To ensure that the summit produces measurable results, Enoh announced plans to establish a Joint Ministerial Review Committee to monitor commitments made by participating stakeholders.
The committee is expected to publish progress scorecards every six months to assess implementation and determine whether agreed measures are delivering practical results.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology also called for clear national and continental industrial targets and a functioning summit secretariat to coordinate activities and monitor progress.
He proposed regular stakeholder engagements and follow-up meetings to translate recommendations into implementable projects.
Participants agreed that the summit’s success should be assessed through completed projects, investments secured, people trained, jobs created and increased domestic production rather than declarations alone.
The programme also featured a cultural presentation celebrating Africa’s cultural heritage and creative expression as components of the continent’s broader economic and social development.
The summit concluded with calls for African countries to process more of their raw materials, expand manufacturing, strengthen regional trade and improve their competitiveness in global markets.
For Nigeria and the wider continent, the challenge remains translating policy proposals into functioning factories, stronger local supply chains, sustainable investment and employment opportunities.
Stakeholders maintained that sustained political commitment, reliable infrastructure, accessible finance, skilled workers and effective monitoring would be essential to ensuring that Africa retains a greater share of the economic benefits generated by its natural resources.
By Sophina Ovuike, Abuja
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