Africa Can Create Jobs By Transforming Raw Materials Locally – Udeh

… Seeks Continental Cooperation At Second Africa Raw Materials Summit

By Daniel Adaji

The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr. Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, SAN, has said Africa can create jobs, attract investments and accelerate industrialisation by processing its raw materials locally rather than exporting them in their unprocessed forms.

Udeh said African countries must work together to transform the continent’s natural resources into finished products, stressing that local value addition and the commercialisation of research findings would stimulate economic growth.

He spoke during a ministerial press briefing on Thursday, ahead of the second Africa Raw Materials Summit, scheduled for October 19 and 20, 2026, in Abuja.

“Once stakeholders agree and are mobilised towards adding value to our raw materials and commercialising research outcomes, jobs and investments will naturally follow from these activities,” the minister said.

He said that the summit would bring together African policymakers, researchers, investors, development partners and industry leaders to strengthen cooperation, review progress since the maiden edition and identify practical solutions to challenges facing the continent’s raw materials sector.

According to Udeh, African countries must move away from relying on raw commodity exports and focus on producing finished goods that would create employment and retain more economic value within the continent.

He said the summit would promote collective action and encourage countries to learn from one another’s experiences in developing their raw materials industries.

The minister also disclosed that the proposed amendment to the law establishing the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) had been repassed by the National Assembly and returned to President Bola Tinubu for assent.

He said the proposed legislation would make a minimum of 30 per cent value addition mandatory before raw materials could be exported, with implementation phased in line with the country’s capacity.

Udeh expressed confidence that Tinubu would assent to the bill, adding that the policy would encourage local processing and strengthen the country’s industrial base.

He stated that the RMRDC would support industries through research and technical knowledge, while manufacturers would commercialise research findings by turning them into finished or semi-finished products.

The minister projected that the policy, alongside improved commercialisation of research outcomes, could significantly increase employment and industrial development.

“At least within two years of implementing the 30 per cent value addition policy and strengthening the commercialisation of research outcomes, we expect to achieve a 30 per cent increase in job creation and industrial development,” he said.

Udeh also highlighted the proposed National Research and Innovation Development Fund, which he said would support research and help transform research outcomes into commercially viable products.

The summit will hold under the theme, “From African Feedstock to African Factories,” with a focus on logistics, policy, circular economy and waste industrialisation, continental value-chain integration, and technology commercialisation and capital linkage.

The maiden edition took place in May 2025 and attracted more than 1,000 delegates. It also provided a platform for discussions on reducing Africa’s dependence on exporting unprocessed commodities.

RMRDC Director-General, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has said Nigeria has more than $582.4 billion in documented non-renewable natural resources, highlighting the economic opportunities available through local processing and manufacturing.

Ike-Muonso has also said the proposed 30 per cent mandatory value-addition policy could generate more than 1.2 million skilled jobs within five years, reduce foreign exchange pressure through import substitution and increase manufacturing’s contribution to the economy.

The summit aims to strengthen partnerships among African countries and attract investments into processing industries, enabling the continent to retain more value from its natural resources while expanding employment opportunities.