Tolu Aiyegbusi
The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) says it aims to fuel innovation, industrial growth and economic diversification by overhauling its research culture template.
The Director‑General/CEO, RMRDC, Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike‑Muonso, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of Digital Journal of Raw Materials Research (JORMAR).
He said that JORMAR is set to reset how Nigerian researchers generate and share resources and knowledge.
He said JORMAR was recently conceived as a fully digital successor to print‑only practices dating back to 1988.
“It is designed to match the rigour, reach and reliability of the world’s top research journals.
“It serves both as a peer‑reviewed scientific outlet and a central national knowledge storehouse, compiling verified data on resource location and quality,” he said.
He said the journal would serve as a turning point because it would remove long‑standing barriers local innovators face.
“Countless researchers, inventors and industry practitioners have carried strong ideas and solid work for years with nowhere to publish them.
“This journal gives them that fair, accessible platform, so that their findings, inventions and insights can be seen, validated and built upon,” the D-G said.
He called on policymakers, investors, manufacturers and universities to draw on JORMAR’s evidence to make smarter choices.
“The journal will pinpoint where to invest, how to replace imported inputs, and how to turn raw resources into high‑value products.
“In doing so, it becomes a key tool for economic diversification, local industrial growth and sustainable development.
“We are also nurturing a generation committed to this vital field of research and development of raw materials,” he said.
Chairman JORMAR Implementation Committee, Dr Sab Ebiriekwe, said that
industrial progress depended on accessible and high‑quality research.
He said that the print version of JORMAR ceased in 2017 adding that former authors can now trace their earlier works easily.
“This launch opens a new chapter for Nigeria’s resource research,” he said.
The Editor‑in‑Chief of JORMAR, Prof. Azikiwe Onwualu, stressed the importance of modern publishing formats.
Onwualu, who was represented by Dr Abdulhakeem Bello, said no journal serves its purpose if it is not online.
He said that many researchers carried breakthrough ideas and practical findings for years with nowhere to publish them but JORMAR opens that door.
“It gives every researcher, inventor, and industry expert an equal chance to showcase their work locally and internationally.
“We have built a fully digital, peer‑reviewed platform that meets or exceeds the standards of the world’s leading journals fully indexed, transparent, and globally accessible,” he said.
He urged all stakeholders to adopt and support the new platform as the open‑access archive is available at www.jormar.rmrdc.gov.ng.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that JORMAR is a follow up to Nigerian Information Statistical System for Raw Materials and Products (NISSRAMP).
Inaugurated on April 21, it is part of RMRDC’s drive to boost local sourcing, cut imports, advance diversification and industrial growth.
While NISSRAMP resolves long‑standing gaps of scattered and out-dated records on raw materials, JORMAR provides a world‑class, dedicated outlet for raw materials research. (NAN)
Edited by Uche Anunne