Tinubu Urged To Revive RMRDC Facility As Concerns Mount Over Idle Pilot Plants

A system analyst and social critic, Dr David Okoro-Arinze, has called on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to urgently intervene over what he described as the alleged abandonment of the Research and Demonstration Plant Complex (RDPC) of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) in Abuja.

According to Bush Radio Academy, Okoro-Arinze raised the concerns in a statement titled “A Laudable Vision That May Never Be Realised,” alleging that industrial activities at the facility along Airport Road were suspended following a change in the council’s leadership in 2024.

He warned that the reported inactivity could undermine Nigeria’s efforts to promote local raw materials utilisation, develop indigenous technologies, create employment and reduce dependence on imported industrial inputs.

The RMRDC, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology, is responsible for promoting the development, sourcing and utilisation of local raw materials to support industrial growth. Its functions also include advising the government on resource availability and conservation, encouraging appropriate manufacturing technologies and disseminating research findings.

Okoro-Arinze said the council had contributed to Nigeria’s industrial development since its establishment in 1988 through initiatives aimed at increasing local sourcing, replacing imported materials and promoting domestic value addition.

He described the Research and Demonstration Plant Complex, formerly known as the RMRDC Technology and Innovation Complex, as a major research and industrial development project occupying about three hectares of land along Airport Road, Abuja.

According to him, the facility houses more than 30 pilot plants designed to demonstrate technologies developed through the council’s research programmes and encourage private-sector investors to adopt locally developed production methods.

He explained that the complex was intended to bridge the gap between research and commercial manufacturing by allowing researchers and engineers to test products, improve production processes and determine their technical and commercial viability before transferring successful projects to private investors for large-scale production.

The analyst alleged that production activities at the complex, which reportedly began after the completion of its first and second phases, had been halted under the council’s current leadership. He attributed the reported suspension to the position that the council should not compete with private manufacturers.

Okoro-Arinze disagreed with that reasoning, arguing that pilot-scale production and test marketing were necessary to demonstrate the commercial potential of indigenous technologies rather than compete with established manufacturers.

He cited the reported production of tonnes of dolomite before Professor Nnayelugo Martin Ike-Muonso assumed office as Director-General of the council. He also listed malaria-prevention tea made from Artemisia annua and soap produced from soap noodles among the activities he alleged had been discontinued.

He maintained that pilot plants were established to help researchers assess product quality, identify technical challenges, determine market demand and establish whether a project could become commercially sustainable.

The analyst listed several facilities reportedly housed at the complex, including plants for producing pharmaceutical-grade talc, calcined kaolin, caustic soda, precipitated calcium carbonate, aluminium sulphate, copper sulphate, water-borne paint, soap noodles and essential oils.

Other facilities he mentioned were designed for hydrated lime, sorbitol, sugar beet and sweet sorghum processing, oil seeds and their derivatives, sweeteners, tomato paste and other products derived from locally available raw materials.

According to Okoro-Arinze, the equipment and facilities could support several industrial value chains if properly operated and their technologies successfully commercialised. He argued that the plants would enable engineers to evaluate production methods, improve equipment components and address technical limitations before transferring viable projects to investors.

He also claimed that engineers associated with the projects had visited similar facilities in Ethiopia, China, India and the United Kingdom to study technologies and identify ways to improve equipment and production processes.

Okoro-Arinze expressed concern that the complex had allegedly deteriorated, claiming that some areas had become overgrown with weeds. He warned that allowing the infrastructure and equipment to remain idle could undermine years of research and waste public resources invested in the project.

The allegations concerning the suspension of production, the condition of the facility and its current operational status have not been independently verified.

Beyond the operational concerns, the analyst questioned whether Professor Ike-Muonso met the statutory requirements for appointment as Director-General of the council.

He referred to Section 9(2)(b) of the RMRDC Act 2022, which he said requires the Director-General to possess at least 18 years of post-qualification experience in science, engineering or technology-related disciplines.

Okoro-Arinze argued that the Director-General’s academic qualifications in economics raised questions about compliance with the provision. He also raised concerns about Ike-Muonso’s doctorate from ESEADE University Institute in Argentina.

However, the claims regarding the Director-General’s eligibility and the interpretation of the relevant statutory provision have not been independently established. No response from Ike-Muonso or the council was included in the account.

The analyst further warned that the alleged inactivity at the complex could affect Nigeria’s broader industrial ambitions, particularly efforts to expand domestic manufacturing, strengthen supply chains and conserve foreign exchange.

He referred to a reported ₦40 trillion manufacturing opportunity associated with the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, arguing that increased domestic production and processing of raw materials could help the country take advantage of its industrial potential.

According to him, reviving the facility could encourage investment in resource-based industries, generate employment, support local manufacturers and reduce the need to import certain industrial inputs.

Okoro-Arinze therefore urged President Tinubu to direct the relevant authorities to assess the complex’s condition and restore its research, demonstration and production activities where appropriate.

He argued that reviving the facility should involve more than preserving buildings and machinery, stressing the need to ensure that its technologies are tested, refined and made available for commercial adoption.

The analyst maintained that the complex could play an important role in translating research into viable products, strengthening local supply chains and promoting economic self-reliance if its intended functions were restored.

He warned that continued inactivity, if confirmed, could represent a setback for Nigeria’s efforts to build an industrial economy driven by local resources, technological innovation and private-sector investment.