NME/NIRAM expo: Nigerian leaders vow to accelerate manufacturing with technology

Top government officials and industry leaders gathered in Lagos for the Nigeria Manufacturing & Equipment/Nigerian Raw Materials (NME/NIRAM) Expo 2025, where a clear message emerged: technology, innovation, and collaboration are the keys to unlocking Nigeria’s industrial potential.

The event, themed ‘Accelerating Sustainable Manufacturing Through Cutting-Edge Equipment And Technology Solutions’, served as a platform for policymakers to outline a bold new vision for a resilient, self-sufficient, and globally competitive manufacturing sector.

In his opening address, Uche Geoffrey Nnaji, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, pointed out the federal government’s commitment to transforming the nation’s economy.

He emphasised that the expo was a “call to action” to leverage new ideas and strong partnerships to boost manufacturing and create real opportunities for Nigerians, particularly the youth.

“Innovation and technology are the keys to progress and prosperity for Nigeria. This event is a modern vision; it is a call to action to use new ideas, smart technology, and strong partnerships to boost manufacturing and create real opportunities for our people, especially the youth,” Chief Nnaji stated.

The Minister acknowledged significant hurdles, such as high costs, limited access to finance, and infrastructure gaps.

However, he stressed that these challenges could be overcome through a coordinated effort across government, business, and the wider community.

The Minister reaffirmed his ministry’s dedication to supporting research, promoting local technology, and encouraging industries to add value to Nigerian raw materials before export.

“The government sees the hard work of our manufacturers and entrepreneurs, and we are here to support you with real solutions and policies,” he assured attendees.

Speaking on behalf of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Commissioner for Commerce, Cooperatives, Trade and Investment, Mrs Folashade Kaosarat Bada Ambrose, highlighted Lagos’s pivotal role in Nigeria’s industrial future.

She described the state as the nation’s economic, financial, and commercial nerve centre, as well as an emerging tech hub, and reiterated its determination to champion sustainable industrial growth.

“By harnessing technology, we will ensure that Nigeria’s manufacturing industry continues to grow. Nigeria can also play an important role in the global manufacturing arena,” Mrs Bada Ambrose said.

The Commissioner detailed some of the state’s initiatives, including the inaugural Lagos State Export Readiness Program (LACERP), which is training over 250 selected MSMEs over the next three years to help them scale, access finance, and thrive.

She also announced the upcoming launch of the Lagos State Industrial Policy 2025-2030, designed to further support the manufacturing sector through enabling policies and infrastructure development.

Mrs Bada Ambrose emphasised that the future of the nation rests on collaborative efforts like the expo, which bring together manufacturers, investors, policymakers, and technology experts.

She urged attendees to embrace advanced technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, and sustainable raw material sourcing to accelerate growth while preserving the environment.

Earlier, Otunba Francis Meshioye, the President of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), welcomed participants and underscored the event’s significance as a platform for collaboration between MAN and the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).

He pointed out that the theme of the expo perfectly aligns with the industry’s focus on sparking conversations around key strategies for efficiency and sustainability.

“Our focus is to spark conversations around the deployment of energy efficiency in production processes, implementation of smart factory protocols, including the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence, to optimise resource use, and the adoption of waste reduction strategies,” Otunba Meshioye said.

He noted that the expo offers a unique opportunity for attendees to experience end-to-end manufacturing, with local fabricators, original equipment manufacturers, and raw materials producers all under one roof.

The MAN president also thanked media partners for their role in providing quality coverage and urged all participants to put Nigeria first in their quest to accelerate sustainable manufacturing.

The Director-General and CEO of the RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, stressed the need to move from potential to strategic action.

He cited worrying statistics, including the fact that Nigeria’s manufacturing contribution to GDP remains below 10%, and that raw material imports surged by 119% to N4.53 trillion in the first nine months of 2024 alone.

“These data points expose a structural weakness: we export our raw materials in their crude form, import refined goods, and surrender jobs and value offshore before we have even begun,” Professor Ike-Muonso argued.

He made it clear that what the country lacks is not potential but rather “strategic coordination, bold implementation, and technology-backed commitment.”

He pointed to the RMRDC’s recently commissioned research and demonstration plant complex in Abuja, which showcases over 50 locally designed and fabricated pilot plants for converting raw materials into valuable products, as a testament to what Nigeria can achieve.

Professor Ike-Muonso revealed that the Senate had formally passed the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Establishment Amendment Bill of 2025.

This landmark legislation, he said, mandates that no raw materials can be exported unless they have undergone at least 30% local processing or value addition.

“From exporting raw jobs to producing raw materials, this is a turning point,” he declared.

To further incentivise local content, Professor Ike-Muonso announced that the federal government has granted the RMRDC the authority to implement significant tax incentives, including credits, reliefs, and waivers, for manufacturers and innovators who use locally sourced inputs.

In his concluding remarks, the RMRDC DG laid out a clear roadmap for Nigeria’s industrial future, including a goal to reduce foreign raw material imports by at least 60% in the next five years.

He urged all participants to use the three-day expo to forge investable partnerships and produce implementable policy outcomes that will drive Nigeria’s industrialisation journey forward.

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