Today, I was honoured to welcome leaders from across Africa and the Diaspora to the Africa Raw Materials Summit 2025โa historic gathering convened by our Ministry in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).
As Nigeriaโs Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, I carry the responsibility of shaping our national innovation ecosystemโone that advances industrial development, digital transformation, and clean energy integration.
This summit was born from a bold vision: to accelerate value addition across Africaโs raw materials sector and to strengthen our continentโs economic sovereignty.
I remain fully committed to the summitโs mission. For too long, Africa has exported raw materials and imported dependency.That narrative must end.We must shift from raw to refined. From extraction to transformation.
Let our lithium become batteries. Let our cocoa become premium chocolate. Let our cassava feed industries. Let our young people become the wealth creators of tomorrow.
The Ministry is investing in local content policies, digital traceability systems, and commercialization frameworks to ensure that Africaโs resources serve Africa firstโespecially under the AfCFTA.Let this summit stand as a declaration that we will no longer export our future in raw form.
We will build, refine, transformโand prosper.
#AfricaRawMaterialsSummit #InnovationForAfrica #MadeInAfrica #RMRDC #AfCFTA #NigeriaForward
