R&D, STI: Leading Nigeria to the next level


The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), was established to conserve foreign exchange expended on importation of raw materials which could be produced competitively in the country. BINTA SHAMA reports.

General opinion says that information and publication are vital ingredients in the human  race. In a bid to achieving such, the Raw Materials Research and Development Council in collaboration with the University of Abuja recently, had a 3-day exhibition of publications on Research and Development (R&D) results as well as Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

Speaking, the Director-General RMRDC, Prof. Hussaini Doko Ibrahim said the council organised the exhibition to encourage publicity of research findings and other information relevant to local sourcing of raw materials.

“The Exhibition is being organised in collaboration with the Centre for Entrepreneurship Studies of University of Abuja to showcase publications on R&D works, Science, Technology and Innovations on local raw materials to Investors, Industrialists, Manufacturers and other end users.”

Series of inventions at the exhibition

Also speaking, Ismaila Suraju who is a 22year old and a graduate of government Science and Technology College Garki Area 3 said, “I and my partner Ahmadu Yusuf started since 2005 locally, worked on train and tractor. We started with cotton then aluminum and now iron since 10 years now. Abuja Chambers and commerce has assisted me in terms of finance and awarded me the laptop which have helped me to access the internet personally and at my convenience to find more designs and technology to match my creativity work. We were brought here by Abuja Chambers industry and this is a very good initiative and my desire is to see the Federal government assist me. It will shock you to know that we use the innovation to supply water in our community Chikoku under Kuje local government.

The duo said they made the invention from tiny stuff to make their invention. “We appeal to the federal government to consider our hard work and creativity put into our innovation to try and empower us so we can be able to make a bigger invention. The Federal government should upgrade and help us by empowering so we will be able to get a place or site where we will be able to provide in many quantities and also create jobs for others and in disguise trash away poverty from the grassroots and then from communities.”

Comment by Federal University, Dutse

Also speaking, Director Research of the federal University Dutse Jigawa Professor Shifu Njikilar said the school displaced numerous inventions which they developed from natural trees and products. “We have around the sahel-sahara region which are mostly products that people use to heal ailment or diseases like anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant. Most of what our people spend buying from other countries and so on. We have succeeded in extracting them and turning them into tablets that they can take and we also have tea which is made from plum, called plum herbal tea. It is a black tea and it is very medicinal we have dead palms mixed with other local ingredients like ginger transformed into a snack that one can just chill and eat to do the needful inside.

“These are the products we have brought here to display. The product is a joint staff and student work and from the entrepreneurship unit of the University where students are from the product process and even the collection sample system have a lot of research attached to see the process internal value and medicinal value of the plant. Staff to students involved in all the activities so the products can actually be what it is today and even develop beyond this.

“We put together ideas and push the projects forward. We are also partnering with a company and like the anti-cancer, anti diabetes and the supplement we will partner. The research will be done by the University and  while we partner with the company to be able to produce the tablet out of it.  

The involvement by Federal government

 “Being a federal University we know that funds are spent by the University from the Federal government which is also part of the project funded by Tetfund because some of the researchers we carried out, use funds from tetfund. It is a privilege to be invited here to be a part of this exhibition because our University is the youngest so far and amongst many here today is just five-years-old. It is an encouraging venture though I have not seen many Universities and Agencies as expected so it can recommend more publicity to be done next time.

“Another is that, the patronage today has been fair because most of our products here have been bought and there is a lot of interest shown in it and this has exposed our University and what we do to the general public thanks to RMRDC and thanks to the Federal government,” he added.

Comment by Landmark University

The representative of Landmark University Kwara State Engineer Atoyebi Olumoyewa said their inventions were of three categories namely rice processing.

He added, “We invented a list of equipment used to process rice starting from the rice treasure, rice raider, to the rice de-stoner. They are all produced for rice no need going out to purchase this when we have it in the country. Our University is a school of Agriculture where we plant various products that our country is in desire of.

 “Secondly, we have our cassava processing machines and we have the fryer, politizer, and we also came with the oil expeller and the last part is the hydroponics, a structure which is soilless agriculture where you plant without using summer so it’s just a medium we want to use another soil which can be water coco-peat i.e planting without soil but using water you can plant tomatoes and within a short circle you can have vegetables grown from this. You can also have other crops for your cattles to eat”, he stated.

Leave a Reply