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 of RMRDC, Nnanyelugo Ike‑Muonso, said this on Thursday in Abuja at the inauguration of the 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.

Mr Ike‑Muonso said the journal would serve as a turning point by removing long‑standing barriers that 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 RMRDC boss 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,” Mr Ike‑Muonso said.

Chairman of the JORMAR Implementation Committee, Sab Ebiriekwe, said that industrial progress depended on accessible and high‑quality research. He explained that the print version of JORMAR ceased in 2017, adding that former authors can now trace their earlier works easily.

(NAN)