The Honourable Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, has called for a decisive shift from exporting unprocessed raw materials to technology-driven local manufacturing, declaring that Africa’s industrial transformation and economic prosperity depend on its capacity to convert abundant natural resources into high-value products, competitive industries and sustainable jobs.
The Minister made this call while delivering the keynote address a declaring open the second edition of the Africa Raw Materials Summit 2026, (ARMS) held in Abuja on 19 October 2026, with the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factory.” He emphasised that Africa must embrace a knowledge-driven industrial economy anchored on Science, Technology, Innovation (STI) and domestic value addition, supported by stronger collaboration among government, research institutions, manufacturers and investors.
Udeh stressed that STI are critical to unlocking Nigeria’s vast resource potential. He noted that deliberate investment in research and development, modern processing technologies, indigenous innovation and effective academia-industry partnerships would strengthen local manufacturing, reduce dependence on imported finished goods and expand opportunities for industrial growth. He urged stakeholders to translate the summit’s deliberations into practical measures that promote technology transfer, local content development and sustainable manufacturing value chains.
In his goodwill message, the Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Owan Enoh, underscored the need for stronger collaboration between government and the private sector to attract investment, expand local processing and enhance manufacturing capacity. He expressed optimism that the summit would generate practical strategies for strengthening domestic supply chains, reducing dependence on imported finished products and positioning Nigeria as a leading destination for value-added production in Africa.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Senator Aminu Iya Abbas, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting policies and legislative initiatives that promote research, innovation, local manufacturing and the sustainable utilisation of Nigeria’s natural resources.
The representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Ambassador Philibat Johnson, highlighted the importance of sustainable industrial development, technological innovation and strategic partnerships in building resilient manufacturing industries.
Contributions from the Bank of Industry underscored the importance of accessible industrial financing and investment support in enabling businesses to establish processing facilities, adopt modern technologies and expand production. The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) also represented a critical industry perspective on strengthening local manufacturing, improving the competitiveness of Nigerian products and addressing barriers to domestic production. These priorities reinforce the need for coordinated action to connect financing, technological capabilities and industrial demand.
Presenting a keynote paper titled “Africa Must Move from Exporting Opportunities to Exporting Products,” the Director-General of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Professor Ayo Omotayo, emphasised the need for African countries to move beyond exporting raw materials to producing and exporting value-added goods. He highlighted the importance of building domestic processing capacity, developing competitive industries and retaining greater economic value within the continent through industrialisation and productive investment.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Professor Nnanyelugo Martin Ike-Muonso, noted that Nigeria possesses abundant natural resources capable of supporting a strong manufacturing base but stressed the need to move beyond exporting raw materials in their unprocessed forms. He emphasised that strengthening the raw materials sector requires sustained investment in research and development, modern processing technologies, indigenous innovation and effective collaboration among government agencies, research institutions, manufacturers and private-sector investors.
The summit reinforced the imperative of repositioning Nigeria’s and Africa raw materials sector through science, technology and innovation to accelerate local manufacturing, deepen industrial development and strengthen national and sub-national productive capacity. The Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology remains committed to advancing research-driven solutions, indigenous technological capabilities and strategic partnerships that support the Federal Government’s industrialisation objectives under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
Mrs. Pauline Sule, mnipr
Head, Press and Public Relations
