The Senate has assured that the Raw Materials Research and Development Council Amendment Bill, which mandates a minimum of 30 per cent value addition before any raw material is exported, will be passed this week.

Senate President, Goodwill Akpabio, stated this on Tuesday in Abuja while declaring open the Africa Raw Materials Summit.

Senator Akpabio, who described the proposed law as a ‘moral compass’ for other African countries, assured that the bill would be passed this week and transmitted to the House of Representatives for concurrence.

Represented by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Sen. Aminu Abbas, the Senate President said the bill’s passage would be a game-changer for Nigeria’s economy, as it would enable the country to harness its raw materials for industrial development and job creation, rather than exporting them in their raw form.

He said, “In the Nigerian Senate, we have resolved to be proactive in addressing this structural imbalance. It is in this spirit that I reaffirm our full legislative backing for the 30 per cent Minimum Value-Addition Bill, currently under consideration. This groundbreaking bill mandates that no raw material of Nigerian origin shall be exported without undergoing a minimum of 30% local value addition, whether through processing, refining, packaging, or industrial transformation. This legislation is not intended to stifle trade; rather, it is designed to ignite domestic enterprise, create jobs, attract capital, and build resilient value chains that benefit our people.

“This bold initiative aligns with a broader continental vision. We must reject the historic pattern in which Africa merely supplies inputs while others reap the benefits of innovation, branding, and global market control. The future of Africa lies not beneath our soil, but in what we do with what lies beneath. And what we do must be backed by law, driven by policy, and sustained by enterprise”.

In his remarks, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Chief Uche Nnaji, described the theme of the summit, ‘Shaping the future of Africa’s resource landscape’ as apt, given the current state of Africa’s resource utilisation and the need for strategic planning to ensure sustainable development.

He emphasised the importance of harnessing Africa’s vast resources to drive economic growth, industrialisation, and innovation.

“Africa stands at a defining moment. For too long, we have exported raw potential and imported dependency. The theme of this summit, ‘Shaping the Future of Africa’s Resource Landscape’, is a continental call to action. A call to industrialise, add value, and create prosperity on African soil.

“Value addition is not optional—it is essential. It is the engine of youth empowerment, SME growth, and economic sovereignty. The Ministry is proud to support initiatives like Nigeria’s 30 per cent Minimum Value-Addition Policy, and through this summit, we aim to inspire aligned action across the continent.

“We are deploying digital tools, traceability infrastructure, and research-to-industry pathways to strengthen intra-African trade under AfCFTA. This is how Africa moves from extraction to transformation—from potential to prosperity.

“Let this summit send a clear message: Africa will no longer export its future in raw form. Our minerals will power industries, our crops will feed global markets, and our youth will drive innovation”.

Earlier, the Director General and Chief Executive Officer, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said value addition will build globally competitive African brands rooted in our soil and sweat, deepen regional value chains and ignite intra-African trade in intermediate and finished goods and keep the wealth of Africa within Africa.