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Diaspora Group Lauds Tinubu’s Anti-Corruption Effort, Decisive Reforms

Published

2 years ago

July 13, 2024

Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora (NPID) has commended President Bola Tinubu’s achievements in the fight against corruption while advising against the creation of a new Ministry of Livestock to reduce the cost of governance.

NPID, which is made up of renowned Nigerian professionals living and working abroad, made this known in a press conference addressed on Saturday in Abuja to applaud President Tinubu on his remarkable achievements since assuming office, his unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, and to advise against the creation of a new Ministry of Livestock to reduce the overall cost of governance.

Speaking at the event, the NPID President, Dr. David Olakunle, expressed the organization’s profound appreciation for President Tinubu’s transformative leadership and the significant strides made under his administration.

“We, the members of the Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora, are gathered here today to applaud President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his exceptional leadership and the profound positive impact he has had on our beloved nation, Nigeria, in a short period,” said Dr. David Olakunle.

The NPID highlighted President Tinubu’s swift and decisive actions to address the country’s most pressing challenges, particularly in the areas of economic reform, infrastructure development, and the fight against corruption.

“Since assuming office, President Tinubu has demonstrated an unparalleled commitment to revitalizing Nigeria’s economy and laying the foundation for sustainable growth,” said Dr. Olakunle. “His bold policy decisions, such as the removal of fuel subsidies, have been instrumental in stabilizing the country’s fiscal position and paving the way for long-term economic prosperity.”

The organization also commended the President’s focus on infrastructure development, which has been a crucial driver of economic transformation. NPID praised the accelerated construction of roads, bridges, and other critical infrastructure projects across the country, which have improved connectivity, facilitated the movement of goods and services, and created numerous job opportunities for Nigerians.

“President Tinubu’s commitment to infrastructure development has been truly remarkable,” said Mr. Kunle Adebayo, the NPID Secretary. “The roads, railways, and other infrastructure projects being delivered under his leadership are not only enhancing the quality of life for our citizens but also laying the foundation for Nigeria’s long-term economic competitiveness.”

Furthermore, the NPID highlighted President Tinubu’s unwavering dedication to the fight against corruption, which has been a longstanding challenge in the country. The organization lauded the President’s efforts to strengthen institutional frameworks, empower anti-corruption agencies, and hold public officials accountable for their actions.

The press conference also addressed the NPID’s concerns regarding the proposed creation of a new Ministry of Livestock, which the organization believes would be an unnecessary addition to the government’s structure and would increase the overall cost of governance.

“While we acknowledge the importance of the livestock sector to Nigeria’s agricultural landscape, we believe the creation of a separate Ministry of Livestock would be a misguided decision that would further burden the country’s already strained fiscal resources,” said Dr. Olakunle.

The NPID argued that the existing structures within the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development could be strengthened and optimized to address the needs of the livestock industry, without the added cost and bureaucracy of a new ministry.

“Our analysis suggests that the resources required to establish and maintain a standalone Ministry of Livestock could be better utilized to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing agricultural frameworks,” said Mr. Ikechukwu Obinna, a senior NPID member. “This would allow for a more streamlined and cost-effective approach to supporting the livestock sector’s development.”

The organization urged President Tinubu to carefully consider the long-term implications of creating a new ministry and to instead focus on optimizing the existing institutional structures to address the challenges faced by livestock farmers and stakeholders.

In conclusion, the Nigeria Professionals in Diaspora (NPID) commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his transformative leadership, his unwavering commitment to fighting corruption, and his focus on driving economic growth and development in Nigeria. The organization pledged its continued support and cooperation in realizing the President’s vision for a prosperous and sustainable Nigeria.

“President Tinubu’s achievements in such a short period have been truly remarkable,” said Dr. Joe Ella Abechi. “We, the members of the NPID, stand ready to work alongside the President and his administration to further strengthen our nation, enhance the well-being of our citizens, and position Nigeria as a global leader in the years to come.”

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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC

Published

2 days ago

November 12, 2026

The Gleamer

By: Stella Azi and Adaora Adibe

The Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for a strategic shift from the exportation of raw commodities to domestic processing, manufacturing and value addition, declaring that Nigeria possesses enormous untapped raw material resources capable of driving industrialisation, creating jobs and strengthening the country’s economic competitiveness.

Prof. Ike-Muonso made this submission in a lecture titled Unlocking Nigeria’s Raw Material Value Chain for Industrialization, Manufacturing and Competitiveness, where he presented an extensive assessment of Nigeria’s resource endowments, industrial challenges and emerging investment opportunities across agricultural commodities, solid minerals and waste-based raw materials.

The lecture highlighted a combined US$2.65 trillion global market opportunity across 30 major raw material value chains, comprising 12 agricultural value chains valued at US$932 billion, 11 mineral value chains worth US$1.352 trillion and seven circular-economy value chains estimated at US$366 billion.

According to the RMRDC Boss, Nigeria must move beyond the traditional approach of extracting and exporting raw materials to building competitive domestic industries that transform these resources into intermediate products, industrial inputs and finished goods for local consumption and international markets.

He observed that the country’s manufacturing sector has struggled to sustain its 2014 peak, with its contribution to real Gross Domestic Product declining from 9.64 per cent in 2014 to 8.05 per cent in 2025, representing a 16.5 per cent decline. He also drew attention to the increasing cost of raw material imports, which rose to US$20.5 billion in 2025, approximately six times the 2020 level.

He explained that the growing dependence on imported industrial inputs exposes Nigerian manufacturers to foreign exchange volatility, increases production costs and weakens the competitiveness of locally manufactured products.

Prof. ke-Muonso stressed that the solution lies in developing domestic raw material value chains through deliberate investment in processing facilities, research and development, technology, infrastructure and stronger linkages between producers, processors and manufacturers.

He identified agriculture, solid minerals and industrial waste as three major resource platforms for Nigeria’s industrial transformation, stating the country’s significant production capacity and the enormous opportunities available for downstream processing.

Ike-Muonso noted that Nigeria produces over 63 million metric tonnes of cassava annually, making it the world’s largest producer, while also maintaining strong positions in cocoa, cashew, sesame, palm oil and cotton. However, more than 80 per cent of agricultural output leaves farms without adequate processing, resulting in the loss of significant economic value and industrial opportunities.

In the solid minerals sector, he identified more than 44 commercially viable minerals across over 500 locations, including lithium, gold, barite, bitumen, iron ore and high-grade limestone, describing them as strategic resources capable of supporting steel production, energy storage, electrification and advanced manufacturing.

The DG further drew attention to Nigeria’s industrial and agro-waste resources, noting that the country generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually. He explained that agricultural residues, cassava peels, scrap metals, plastics and electronic waste could serve as important feedstock for bio-fertilisers, industrial chemicals, recycled polymers, energy production and other manufacturing applications.

In the agricultural sector, the DG identified cassava and industrial starch, cotton and natural textiles, natural rubber and elastomers, oil palm and oleochemicals, maize derivatives and cocoa processing as priority areas requiring increased investment.

He explained that processing agricultural commodities into industrial starch, sweeteners, textiles, technical rubber, specialty fats and other intermediate products would enable Nigeria to capture more value from its agricultural resources while reducing dependence on imported industrial inputs.

For the minerals sector, he highlighted crude oil-to-olefins and petrochemicals, lithium and energy storage, iron ore and steel, rare earth elements, bauxite and aluminium, and copper and electrification as strategic investment opportunities.

He particularly emphasised the importance of moving beyond mineral extraction into beneficiation, refining, battery precursors, industrial chemicals, metal fabrication and advanced materials production.

On the circular economy, Prof. Ike-Muonso identified electronic waste recovery, scrap metal recycling, plastic waste processing, agro-waste valorisation and battery recycling as emerging industrial opportunities.

He explained that transforming waste into productive industrial feedstock would not only reduce environmental pollution but also create new manufacturing industries, generate employment and reduce the importation of valuable industrial materials.

He noted that to address the structural challenges confronting raw material-based industrialisation, the DG highlighted the strategic interventions of the RMRDC, particularly the proposed 30% Value Addition Bill and the Nigeria Integrated Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).

He described the 30% Value Addition Bill as an important policy instrument designed to encourage domestic processing of raw materials before export, strengthen local manufacturing capacity and guarantee access to essential raw materials for Nigerian industries, and NISSRAMP as a critical data infrastructure that would improve access to verified information on the availability, location and quality of raw materials.

According to him, the combination of appropriate policy instruments and reliable resource data would help de-risk investments, improve transparency and strengthen confidence in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He emphasised the importance of collaboration among government, academia and industry in developing bankable projects, sharing investment risks and accelerating the establishment of processing and manufacturing facilities.

Professor Ike-Muonso called on Nigerians in the diaspora and other local and international investors to take advantage of the opportunities available in Nigeria’s raw material sector.

He identified industrial processing parks, mineral beneficiation and refining, agro-industrial platforms, circular-material processing, industrial input manufacturing and enabling infrastructure as viable investment platforms.

He noted that diaspora investors could contribute beyond financial capital by bringing technology, international business networks, governance standards, technical expertise and access to global markets.

He maintained that Nigeria’s industrial transformation requires coordinated investment across the entire value chain, from raw material sourcing and aggregation to processing, manufacturing, certification and export development.

Professor Ike-Muonso stressed that the country’s industrial future would depend not merely on the volume of raw materials extracted but on the capacity to transform them into competitive products that meet domestic and international market requirements.

He maintained that developing local value chains would stimulate industrial growth, create employment opportunities, diversify exports, conserve foreign exchange and deepen Nigeria’s technological capabilities.

Through its strategic interventions, the RMRDC is positioning itself as a critical bridge between resource availability, investment opportunities and industrial competitiveness, with the ultimate objective of transforming Nigeria from a predominantly raw material exporting economy into a strong manufacturing and value-adding nation.

Ike-Muonso has demonstrated this since assumption of office as the Director General/ CEO RMRDC in the area of capacity building, improved working conditions, promotion of merit, and maintaining a conducive environment that rewards excellence, innovation and dedication. This is evident in his institution of RMRDC training school, reward for winners of the RMRDC innovation challenge among others.

His commitment has brought recognition both nationally and internationally: Al-Jazirah double honour awards as Public Servant /Government Agency of the year 2024-2025 and the recent election as the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Representative on the Board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO) is a attestation to his commitment.

Concluding the lecture, the DG charged staff, researchers, manufacturers and investors to see themselves as nation builders in the new era of raw materials-led industrialization.

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