By Chioma Vivian James
Stakeholders at the second Africa Raw Materials Summit 2026 have urged the Federal Government and African leaders to prioritise local processing of raw materials, warning that exporting unprocessed resources deprives the continent of jobs, industrial expertise and billions of dollars in potential revenue.
Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said the proposed 30 per cent Raw Materials Value Addition Bill could create more than 1.2 million jobs and generate over $1.2 billion in annual non-oil export earnings.
Speaking at the summit in Abuja, themed “From African Feedstock to African Factories,” Ike-Muonso said sustained industrial policies, investment and local manufacturing were essential to Nigeria’s economic transformation. He also highlighted the Nigeria First Policy and Nigeria Industrial Policy 2025, alongside RMRDC’s efforts to develop processing technologies and pilot plants.
The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, urged lawmakers to pass the bill, noting that local processing of resources such as lithium, cocoa and copper could retain jobs, expertise and revenue within African economies.
Sudan’s Minister of Mineral Resources, Dr. Dayan Tahar, called for reliable energy, local refining, improved market access and stronger action against mineral smuggling, alongside transparent investment procedures.
Director-General of the Pan-African Alliance for Small and Medium Industries, Dr. Henry Emejuo, demanded enforceable policies to ensure more raw materials are processed locally before export.
“This is our time. We must make up our mind to do this for the generation unborn,” he said, urging African governments to turn their resource wealth into factories, jobs and competitive industries. He also identified the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) as an opportunity to expand regional trade in processed goods.
UNIDO Country Representative, Ambassador Philbert Abaka, stressed the need for coordinated action by governments, manufacturers, researchers and financiers to translate value-addition targets into measurable industrial results.
Similarly, Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council, Otunba Joseph Oluwemimo Osanipin, said local lithium processing could support Nigeria’s electric vehicle and energy-storage industries. He noted that batteries account for an estimated 40 to 55 per cent of an electric vehicle’s cost.
Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Prof. Olusegun Ige, disclosed that about 60 per cent of raw materials used in Nigerian production were sourced from abroad, calling for stronger collaboration between geologists and manufacturers to expand local sourcing.
Bank of Industry Chief Strategy and Development Officer, Dr. Uche Nwachukwu, said some food and beverage companies in the bank’s portfolio had reduced raw-material imports by 67 per cent. He stressed the need for long-term financing to commercialise research and expand domestic production.
The stakeholders agreed that reliable electricity, infrastructure, investment, technology and effective policy implementation would be crucial to turning Africa’s abundant resources into industrial growth, jobs and higher export earnings.