New Data Platform Promises to Unlock Nigeria’s Raw Materials Potential
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has unveiled a new digital platform aimed at transforming access to critical data on Nigeria’s raw materials sector.
The platform, known as the Nigerian Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP), was launched on Tuesday in Abuja, with officials describing it as a major step toward improving investment decisions and industrial development.
Director-General of RMRDC, Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said the initiative marked a turning point in how data on Nigeria’s abundant natural resources is collected, managed and utilised. He noted that the system was designed to address longstanding gaps that have hindered effective planning and investment.
“NISSRAMP comes as a breath of fresh air for investors, policymakers and industry operators who until now navigated a fragmented landscape with no unified repository of information.
“Before this initiative, stakeholders operated in the dark, there was no single source of truth regarding the availability, location, production capacity, or quality of raw materials across the country.
“Decision-making was often based on incomplete or outdated information, hindering investment and slowing industrial growth,’’ he said.
Ike-Muonso emphasised that the platform goes beyond being a simple database, describing it as a strategic tool for national development.
“It provides real-time information on profiling, production capacity, location and availability,” he said.
According to him, the system will enable government officials, researchers and investors to make better-informed decisions, identify opportunities and develop policies grounded in reliable data. He added that NISSRAMP is built to be robust, scalable and user-friendly, integrating modules on pricing, value chain analysis, capacity utilisation and fabricators’ data.
Also speaking, Deputy Director of Statistics and Data Analysis at RMRDC, Cypril Chinweyi, highlighted the importance of data integration and institutional collaboration in national development.
“By linking databases from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, the Customs and over 16 other institutions, NISSRAMP creates a holistic view of the raw material ecosystem.
“This dynamic approach replaces the old static methods, ensuring data is always current and compliant with global HS Codes and Nigerian raw material standards,” he said.
Chinweyi noted that the platform would also play a key role in enforcing government policies on local value addition and boosting domestic processing.
“It will help ensure compliance with the 30 per cent value addition requiremen0; this is crucial for retaining wealth within the economy and creating jobs,’’ he said.
He further explained that the platform is accessible to the public, offering statistical data to support pricing decisions, research and business planning.
“It is accessible, easy to use and promises to foster inclusive industrial growth,’’ he said.
Describing the broader significance of the initiative, Chinweyi added that as Nigeria moves to position itself as an industrial hub, data-driven systems like NISSRAMP underscore the growing importance of information in economic transformation.
The consultant behind the platform, Abidemi Adesina, said the system leverages data analytics and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, to deliver secure and future-ready solutions.
“By turning information into actionable insight, the RMRDC has laid a solid foundation for a more transparent, efficient and prosperous future,” he said.
