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Rebuilding Cohesion: National Identity as the Foundation for Trust and Strong Institutions
By Enene Ejembi
In a country as diverse as Nigeria—over 200 million people, 500 languages, more than 200 ethnic groups, and three major religions—the search for national unity is not just a noble aspiration; it is a strategic necessity for nation-building, deepening democracy, and unlocking sustainable development.
Without unity, the state struggles to mobilize citizens’ collective will, build strong institutions, and deliver inclusive growth.Yet the path to unity is often misunderstood. It is too often pursued as a quick win—declared in speeches and celebrated in symbolic moments—rather than built through the patient work it requires. True unity demands long-term investment, deliberate trust-building, and reconciliation.
It cannot be achieved without confronting, and where possible correcting, historical wrongs that continue to shape relationships between communities and the state.
When these deeper fractures are left unaddressed, cohesion remains elusive, and our weak sense of a shared national “we” persists.
The “Sense of Us” ImperativeThis is precisely the challenge Ricardo Hausmann describes in his “Sense of Us” theory: nations cannot advance economically without a deep, widely shared identity that makes citizens feel part of the same “we.” Without that collective sense of belonging, cooperation falters, sacrifices for the common good become harder to mobilize, and institutions—even when well-designed—struggle to function. Development, democratic deepening, and nation-building all require the “software” of social cohesion to match the “hardware” of policies and institutions. In Nigeria’s case, rebuilding that shared identity is not a sentimental exercise; it is the foundational work on which trust, effective governance, and sustainable progress depend.National Identity as a Strategic Lever for Cohesion National identity is not a feel-good concept or a cultural afterthought. It is a strategic tool for nation-building—one that can deliberately foster cohesion in a fragmented society.
A strong and inclusive national identity doesn’t erase local affiliations; it situates them within a broader, collective narrative. It is about ensuring that every Nigerian, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, or region, feels seen, valued, and included in the national story.
Building such an identity requires intentional action. Inclusive education, media representation, national symbols, historical storytelling, and fair policy-making are all vehicles for expanding the group of citizens who see themselves as part of the national whole.
One compelling example is Nigeria’s Special Seats Bill (HB.7), which proposes reserved parliamentary seats for women.
This is not just about political quotas; it is an effort to correct the historical exclusion of women from political leadership, expand the circle of contribution and belonging, and signal that women are equal stakeholders in Nigeria’s future.
By increasing women’s representation, the Bill strengthens the shared national identity that underpins social cohesion.
A Practical Roadmap for Inclusion and TrustRebuilding Nigeria begins with rebuilding “we”—or, as Ricardo Hausmann describes it, fostering a shared “sense of us”.
This is not a linear process, but one that requires concurrent investments in inclusion, identity-building, and service delivery.
Civil society, traditional institutions, media, and government must all work together to create a sense of shared purpose and belonging.
Women’s political representation is a central pillar in this roadmap, not a side issue.
The Special Seats Bill is more than a reform—it is an act of identity-making. It expands the boundaries of “who belongs” and affirms that a nation’s future must be shaped by all its people.
Similar measures—such as quotas for youth, persons with disabilities, and marginalized groups—can help deepen participation and broaden the national identity.
These are not symbolic gestures; they are building blocks of a new, inclusive nation.
Alongside representation reforms, other tools include strengthening physical security through effective state protection; economic security through equitable opportunities, social safety nets, and basic services; and inclusive governance through policies that guarantee equal access to justice and uphold the rule of law.
Inter-group dialogue, peacebuilding, addressing historical grievances, cultural integration, and sustained civic education all contribute to the same goal: a society where every citizen feels they belong.
From Cohesion to Trust and Institutional StrengthWhen social cohesion is strengthened through shared identity and inclusion, it creates the fertile ground upon which trust in governance can grow. People are more likely to engage and cooperate with government—pay taxes, vote, comply with laws—when they feel represented and valued.
Only then can institutions begin to function effectively.
Trust is the foundation upon which institutions stand.
Without it, no amount of reform or technical expertise will be enough. Citizens trust institutions not because they exist, but because they serve, protect, and reflect their aspirations. Strong public institutions—courts that uphold justice, agencies that deliver services fairly, and electoral commissions that ensure credible elections—can only thrive in an environment where legitimacy is not in question.
That legitimacy stems from a society that believes in its collective identity.
Embedding Identity in Culture and Daily LifeCohesion must live not only in official documents but in the daily rhythms, celebrations, and aspirations of Nigerian life.
A national identity rooted in the best of our values, historical achievements, and aspirations should be consciously woven into everything we do—our policies, our development plans, our reforms, our institutions, our laws, and our social norms.
It should also be present in the stories we tell, the music we compose, the films we produce, the books we write, and the educational curricula that shape our children’s minds.
It should echo in our public ceremonies, be reinforced in our civic education, and be reflected in the art, media, and cultural symbols that define us at home and abroad.
As Andrew Fletcher of Saltoun argued in 1703, “if a man were permitted to make all the songs of a nation, he need not care who should make the laws.”Conclusion:
The Cohesion Imperative Cohesion is not a byproduct of development; it is its foundation.
Shared national identity fosters cohesion.
Cohesion enables trust. Trust makes institutions work. Women’s political representation—and the broader inclusion it symbolizes—is essential to building that identity.To build a Nigeria that delivers for all, we must move beyond rhetoric to deliberate action.
We must cultivate a national identity rooted in justice, fairness, and inclusion.
Only then can we build institutions that endure, and governance that serves. In the end, a nation is not built solely by its government, but by the strength of its bond with its people.
That bond, anchored in shared identity, is the key to a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous Nigeria.
Enene Ejembi is the Founder and Executive Director of Verbatim Virtual Solutions, an international development consulting firm based in Nigeria. She can be reached on X via her handle: @enenezig
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Strategic Partnerships, Diaspora Investment and Improved Workforce Critical to Industrialization-DG RMRDC
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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