RMRDC DG wants Nigeria research output turned into jobs, wealth creation

…Consoles APC deputy chairman, Dalori over daughter’s death

The Director-General of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, has called for stronger collaboration between research institutions, polytechnics and organised private sector to translate Nigeria’s research outputs into jobs, wealth creation and industrial growth.

The RMRDC DG stated that Nigeria could accelerate industrialisation, strengthen local manufacturing and reduce dependence on imported products by building effective partnerships that connect research, technical education, technology transfer and private-sector investment.

He made the appeal in Abuja at a strategic session organised by RMRDC with officials of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organizations (WAITRO), representatives of Nigerian tertiary institutions and members of the organised private sector.

Ike-Muonso further noted that Nigeria’s economic prosperity depends, increasingly, on the effective utilisation of its abundant natural resources, indigenous technologies and human capital to develop competitive industries and expand domestic production.

“The country has considerable natural resources, skilled professionals, vibrant entrepreneurs and tertiary institutions with significant research capabilities, but the challenge remains how to connect these assets to deliver tangible economic benefits.

“For too long, the gap between research and industrial application has limited the economic benefits that Nigeria derives from its investments in research and development,” he said.

The RMRDC chief executive equally argued that research findings must go beyond academic publications to produce commercially viable products, industrial processes and technologies capable of addressing practical economic needs.

He said stronger relationships between universities, polytechnics, research organisations and businesses would allow industries to identify their technological needs while enabling researchers to develop solutions that could be commercialised.

Ike-Muonso described the engagement with WAITRO as an opportunity to deepen international cooperation, establish sustainable institutional partnerships and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to develop, adapt and apply technologies for industrial advancement.

He added that RMRDC, as an active member of WAITRO, is seeking opportunities for Nigerian institutions to access international technical expertise, establish joint research programmes, develop innovative products and improve industrial processes.

The council, he stressed, was particularly interested in partnerships that would translate into measurable benefits for Nigerian businesses and the wider economy.

Ike-Muonso also highlighted RMRDC’s strategic partnership with Chinese innovation institutions, including the Shanghai Yangtze Delta Innovation Institute, Jiangsu Industrial Technology Research Institute and Anhui Yangtze Delta Innovation Institute, operating under the umbrella of the National Innovation Center par Excellence.

He said the quadripartite memorandum of understanding with the institutions provided a framework for cooperation in research and development, technology transfer, innovation, capacity building and commercialisation of research outputs.

The partnership, according to him, could help Nigerian institutions adapt foreign technologies to local industrial conditions, improve the processing of indigenous raw materials and develop products capable of competing in domestic and international markets.

He, however, stressed that technology transfer should not be limited to importing equipment or finished technologies, but must involve developing local skills, transferring technical knowledge and building the capacity to maintain, adapt and improve technologies.

“Our aspiration is not simply to access technology, but to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to understand, adapt, develop and apply technology for its own industrial advancement,” he said.

Meanwhile,in a related development, Ike-Muonso, has paid a condolence visit to the Deputy National Chairman (North) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ali Bukar Dalori, over the death of his beloved daughter.

Speaking during the visit, Ike-Muonso described the loss as; “deeply painful and irreparable,” expressing sympathy with the bereaved family during the difficult period.

“I want the family to draw strength and comfort from the exemplary life of humility, devotion and service to God and humanity your departed daughter lived.

“Although her death left a painful void, the values she upheld and the positive impact she made on the lives of others would remain a lasting legacy.

“I pray that Almighty God will forgive the deceased her shortcomings, grant her eternal rest and give the family the strength and fortitude to bear the irreparable loss,” the RMRDC DG noted.

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