The Nigerian Government says its proposed policy mandating a 30 per cent minimum value addition on all raw material exports will accelerate industrialisation and job creation.
According to official projections, the strategic initiative has the potential to drive a 30 per cent growth rate across both sectors within two years of implementation.
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Mr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, made this projection in Abuja, during a ministerial press briefing on the forthcoming Africa Raw Materials Summit (ARMS 2026).
The proposed requirement is aimed at moving Nigeria away from exporting largely unprocessed resources towards producing semi-finished and finished goods locally, a shift the Minister says could create opportunities for businesses, attract investments and improve the livelihoods of ordinary Nigerians.
“Within two years of implementation of 30 percent value addition and commercialisation, it will add 30 percent growth in our job creation and development of our industries,” Udeh said.
He, however, explained that the policy’s implementation would be in phases to allow the country develop the necessary capacity to process its raw materials.
The Minister said the amendment to the law establishing the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), which provides for the minimum value addition requirement, had passed through legislative consideration and has been sent back to President Bola Tinubu after further review.
According to him, the President is expected to consider the revised bill, which would establish a legal framework for the proposed requirement once signed into law.
For a country rich in mineral and agricultural resources, the Minister argued that exporting raw materials without sufficient local processing limits the economic opportunities available to Nigerians.
He said; ”the proposed reform would encourage manufacturers and industrial players to invest in processing facilities, while strengthening the connection between research, innovation and commercial production.”
Udeh stressed that research institutions must move beyond producing findings that remain on paper, to developing solutions that industries can commercialise.
“The Raw Materials Research and Development Council will continue to answer the name until the research output from this agency is commercialised,” he said.
He explained that RMRDC’s responsibility was to research raw materials and provide the technical knowledge industries need to improve their value, while private businesses and industrial players would undertake the actual processing and production.
According to him, the Nigerian Government is pursuing measures to support the commercialisation of research outcomes, including the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund.
Beyond industrial expansion, Udeh said the ultimate goal of the government’s science, technology and innovation agenda was to translate economic growth into tangible improvements in the lives of Nigerians.
He acknowledged that the summit itself would not automatically produce factories or jobs but said it would mobilise investors, researchers, industry leaders and development partners towards concrete action.
The Africa Raw Materials Summit is expected to bring together policymakers, researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders from across the continent.
Udeh said the gathering would provide an opportunity to assess progress since the maiden edition, identify gaps and develop coordinated solutions to challenges facing Africa’s raw materials sector.
The summit will also encourage African countries to learn from one another, with countries making progress in local processing providing models that others could adapt.
The Minister emphasised that the objective was not merely to hold another conference but to establish a system for tracking commitments and reviewing implementation.
“There must be a post-programme community,” he said, stressing the need for periodic reviews of commitments, recommendations and agreed action points.
He reiterated that the long-term goal was to move Africa from exporting raw commodities to exporting finished products and services, thereby retaining more economic value within the continent.
He further said that the government was also focusing on training young people and students through its Youth and Students in Innovation programme, with the aim of equipping them not only to use technology but also to develop and apply it.
The Minister said the proposed reforms, investment in research and development, and efforts to strengthen local manufacturing were intended to position Nigeria for a knowledge-based economy.
The Africa Raw Materials Summit, a two-day event is set to hold on the 19th-20th October 2026. It is expected to advance discussions on how African countries can turn their natural resource wealth into stronger industries, local employment and greater economic value.
