From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja
The Minister of Innovation, Science, and Technology, Kingsley Udeh, has said Nigeria must commercialise its research outcomes to achieve economic and political independence.
Udeh stated this on Thursday in Abuja at a media parley on the second edition of the African Raw Materials Summit (ARMS 2026), organised by the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).
He said no nation could achieve genuine independence while relying heavily on foreign technology, stressing that science, technology and innovation were critical to national development.
“The foundation of advancement is innovation, science and technology. If you are dependent, you are not yet free or independent as it relates to technology, science and innovation. You can’t actually be independent politically and economically,” he said.
The minister stressed that commercialising research outcomes would accelerate industrialisation, create economic opportunities and strengthen Nigeria’s productive capacity.
He said achieving President Bola Tinubu’s $1 trillion economy target would require the country to deploy science, technology and innovation to build a knowledge-based economy.
“If we would move from where we are, in terms of the economy, to the targeted $1 trillion GDP, then we have to mobilise our science, technology and innovation to make it work,” he said.
On the objectives of ARMS 2026, Udeh said the summit would review progress made since its maiden edition, assess performance, identify gaps and develop measures to address outstanding challenges.
He said the summit would bring together African ministers responsible for science, technology and innovation, officials overseeing raw materials, researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders across the continent’s raw materials value chain.
On the proposed amendment to the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Act, the minister said the bill contained incentives to encourage industry players to embrace a minimum of 30 per cent value addition to raw materials.
According to him, the incentives would make compliance attractive to stakeholders and facilitate the implementation of the proposed policy.
The Director-General of RMRDC, Prof Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, commended the minister for supporting the council and its efforts to advance the proposed raw materials legislation.
He also thanked Udeh for promoting the council and supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s raw materials sector.