For making a groundbreaking technological innovation on the formulation and method of producing three varieties of tea from turmeric rhizomes and leaves, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has formally granted the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Abia State, a Certificate of Patence’ to produce the three varieties of tea from turmeric rhizomes and leaves.
NRCRI Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer, Professor Chiedozie Egesi, who confirmed this development to The Guardian, said that the ‘Patency Certificate’ was presented to the Institute by the Honourable Minister, Federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology (FMIST), Mr Kingsley Tochukwu Udeh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
He said that the grant was in accordance with the provisions of the Patent and Design Acts; CAP 344 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, with references RP:NG/PT/NC/O/2024/15488, dated 11 December 2024, and sealed on 9 October 2025.
Elated by this development, Professor Egesi described the Patency Grant by Mr President as a “landmark achievement that underscores NRCRI’s unwavering commitment to advancing scientific innovation, value addition in agriculture, fostering commercialisation of indigenous crops, and expanding Nigeria’s herbal wellness and nutraceutical economy.”
According to the NRCRI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), “Turmeric, which is already globally recognised for its medicinal, antioxidant and immune-boosting properties, is now being transformed through NRCRI’s research team led by Dr Rachel Majekodunmi Omodamiro into novel tea product variants.”
He added that this innovation promises enhanced health benefits, new enterprise opportunities and significant contributions to Nigeria’s national economy, adding that this grant is another giant step in positioning Nigeria as a leader in bio-innovation, natural products research, and high-value root and tuber crop utilisation.
Congratulating the NRCRI research team, and noting Nigeria’s growing innovation ecosystem, Professor Egesi said that the Federal Government’s recognition of this breakthrough highlights the strength of Nigeria’s innovation ecosystem and the potential of indigenous crops to drive sustainable development.
The NRCRI has the statutory national mandate to research into the genetic improvement, production, processing, storage, utilisation and socio-economics of root and tuber crops of economic importance, namely yam, cassava, potato, sweet potato, cocoyam, ginger and potato.
NRCRI also has the statutory national mandate to research into the genetic improvement, production, processing, storage, utilisation and socio-economics of root and tuber crops of economic importance, namely yam, cassava, potato, sweet potato, cocoyam, ginger, potato, taro, sugar beet and rizga.
It also undertakes national and international research collaborations and relevant short-term trainings, including the zonal mandate of researching into the entire farming systems of the South-East agro-ecological zone, which covers Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States of Nigeria.
Additionally, NRCRI executes agricultural extension services in liaison with relevant federal and state agencies, such as the National Agricultural Extension Research and Liaison Services (NAERLS) and the States’ Agricultural Development Projects (ADPs), on its mandate crops within the mandate zone.
