The Federal Government has signalled strong expectations that a proposed ban on exporting raw materials without local processing will help reposition Nigeria’s economy, even as experts warn that persistent weaknesses in the country’s science, technology and innovation (STI) ecosystem could undermine its success.

Speaking at a policy dialogue in Abuja themed “Re-shaping Nigeria’s Potential in Science, Technology and Innovation (STI)”, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Dr Kingsley Udeh, said Nigeria’s longstanding reliance on raw material exports had stalled industrial development and limited the country’s ability to create jobs and value locally.

Speaking at an event organised by the Centre for the Study of the Economies of Africa (CSEA), Udeh said a major obstacle to Nigeria’s progress in STI had been the fragmentation of the ecosystem, with government agencies, private sector actors and research institutions operating largely in isolation.

According to him, the lack of coordination and shared focus had weakened the country’s ability to translate research into manufacturing and commercial outcomes.

“One of the factors that has undermined our advancement is the fragmentation of the STI ecosystem. Different players act in silos, with little synergy or coordination, and this has reduced overall impact,” he said.

Under President Bola Tinubu, the minister said the government was working to reposition STI as an interconnected ecosystem, with institutions deliberately linked to support innovation, production and commercialisation.

He disclosed that a national STI roadmap was being developed to address structural gaps and align efforts across agencies.

As part of these reforms, Udeh said the role of the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) had been expanded. While the agency had previously focused on processing patents for innovators, it now works to connect inventors with other institutions that can help turn patented ideas into prototypes and market-ready products.

“Patents were being issued, but many ended up on shelves. We are now ensuring that innovators are supported beyond certification, through to prototyping and commercialisation,” he said.

Central to the government’s industrial ambition is a landmark bill recently passed by the National Assembly, which mandates that no raw material may be exported from Nigeria without at least 30 per cent value added locally.

The bill has been transmitted to the President for assent and includes a transition period to allow industries to build the necessary capacity.

The minister said the legislation, which followed extensive consultations with industry players and exporters, would help expand industrial capacity and shift Nigeria from being a supplier of raw materials to an exporter of value-added goods and services.

However, he acknowledged that funding constraints and implementation challenges remain.

Earlier, CSEA’s Executive Director, Dr Chukwuka Onyekwena, said Nigeria had the human capital and entrepreneurial energy required to thrive in a technology-driven global economy but had struggled to convert potential into productivity.

“Our youthful population and growing tech ecosystem provide a solid foundation. But without strategic investment, clear policy direction and sustained collaboration across government, academia and industry, this potential will remain largely untapped,” Onyekwena said.

Delivering the keynote address, President of the African University of Science and Technology and former Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, Prof Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, described Nigeria’s development challenge as a paradox of abundance amid underperformance.

He said weak infrastructure, limited research funding, fragile links between academia and industry, and poor commercialisation pathways had prevented scientific breakthroughs from driving economic growth.

“Talent alone is not enough,” Onwualu warned. “Systems matter.”

While welcoming the proposed raw export restriction, Onwualu cautioned that its success would depend on building a functional national innovation ecosystem, increased investment in research and development, and stronger collaboration between government, universities and the private sector.

“Countries that invest strategically in science and innovation are moving ahead rapidly. Those that do not are falling behind by generations,” he said.