Investors target industrial utilization of ginger-based products to boost economy

Investors and stakeholders in Nigeria’s ginger industry in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, have initiated partnerships with each other to harness the potential inherent in ginger to boost the country’s economy.

This was the crux of discussions at the Investors’ Forum on Industrial Utilisation of Ginger Value Chains and Its Economic Potentials in the FCT, with the theme “Industrialising the Ginger Value Chain: Harnessing Innovation, Investment, and Market Opportunities for Sustainable Economic Growth in the FCT”.

The forum, organised in collaboration with the FCT Department of Science, Technology and Innovation and the National Ginger Association of Nigeria, aims to drive industrial investment, develop processing infrastructure and promote value-added production of ginger-based products.

Highlights of discussions at the event showed that Nigeria is the top producer of ginger globally, producing an estimated 160,000 metric tonnes annually.

Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, Director General, Raw Materials Research and Department Council (RMRDC), who was represented by Valerie Ehimagie, emphasised that Nigeria exports ginger largely in raw form while importing processed ginger-based products at a premium, a practice that needs to change.

Ike-Muonso highlighted the RMRDC’s role in promoting local sourcing of industrial raw materials and value-added manufacturing, offering technical guidance, reliable data, and strategic partnerships to investors.

He assured that the RMRDC is committed to providing technical assistance, resource support, capacity building, and market linkage facilitation for stakeholders willing to invest in ginger and other resource-based sectors.

By working together, stakeholders can make ginger a catalyst for inclusive growth, job creation, and economic resilience

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According to the DG, “Nigeria is blessed with an abundance of ginger but exports it largely in raw form while importing processed ginger-based products at a premium. “A practice that needs to change”.

He also referenced a proposed bill that seeks to ensure at least 30% value addition to local raw materials before export, noting that that would help to boost the industry’s growth and economic diversification.

The DG further emphasised the RMRDC’s role in promoting local sourcing of industrial raw materials and value-added manufacturing, offering technical guidance, reliable data and strategic partnerships to investors.

Olajubu Olatubuson, Deputy Director and State Coordinator of RMRDC, noted that “Ginger stands out as a trajectory crop with high global demand for medicinal, culinary, and industrial uses.

Yet, the full value of this important commodity remains likely untouched. He highlighted the potential for the FCT to become a centre of excellence for ginger processing and commercialisation.

He noted that while Kaduna is the highest producer of ginger in the country, contributing over 60% of the national inputs, followed by Nasarawa, Gombe, and Bauchi States, the Federal Capital Territory with fertile production zones in Gwali, Kuje, Abadi, and Gwali, has potential also to become a centre of excellence for ginger processing and commercialisation.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of NEPZA, represented by Augustine Onyekwelu, commended the organisers and noted that “Ginger production and processing holds significant promise for our economy.”

He urged practitioners in the ginger processing and value chain to consider locating their enterprises within the Free Trade Zone, leveraging the scheme’s incentives and support services.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.