The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has launched a national initiative to develop Nigeria’s Aloe vera value chain, aiming to boost industrialisation, job creation, and export potential. The announcement followed a National Stakeholders’ Engagement Meeting held at RMRDC headquarters in Abuja in collaboration with Dipton Nigeria Ltd.
The event brought together 48 participants, including federal and state agencies, regulatory bodies such as NAFDAC and SON, research institutes, academics, farmers’ associations, financial institutions, and private sector representatives.
Delivering the keynote, RMRDC Director-General, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said the engagement marked a practical step toward organising Aloe vera cultivation into a viable national value chain. He highlighted challenges, including a lack of certified seedlings, inadequate technology, limited financing, and weak institutional coordination. The global Aloe vera market, estimated at USD 2–5 billion, continues to grow, but Nigeria has yet to exploit its natural advantages fully.
Ike-Muonso outlined plans to establish a National Aloe Vera Working Group, conduct baseline surveys, develop standards with regulators, support certified nurseries, and link small businesses to investors and markets. He called for collaboration among government, industry, and researchers to create a comprehensive Aloe vera roadmap.
The meeting concluded with participants agreeing to form a multi-stakeholder task force to implement the roadmap, aiming to turn Aloe vera into a key driver of economic diversification, import substitution, and industrial growth in Nigeria.
Leave feedback about this