RMRDC Re-launches Journal To Promote Research, Innovation, Data-Driven Industrialisation
0
The Management of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has re-launched the Journal of Raw Materials Research – JORMAR, thus repositioning it as a flagship platform to promote research, innovation, and data-driven industrialisation in Nigeria.
The re-launch ceremony, held at the RMRDC headquarters in Abuja recently, brought together researchers, academia, captains of industry, and development partners to discuss how local content and value addition can power Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
Speaking at the event, the Director General/CEO of RMRDC, Professor Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, said the decision to revive JORMAR was in response to the urgent need for credible, home-grown research to guide Nigeria’s raw materials development.
He decried the situation where RMRDC could produce fewer than 20 PhDs, with fewer than 10 peer-reviewed articles and 46 patents since inception in 1988.
According to him, “This re-launch indeed brings a new dawn for JORMAR to RMRDC’s Research Cadar, because for too long, our researchers and industries have relied on imported data and foreign research to make decisions about our resources.
“The new JORMAR will change that narrative; JORMAR is a repository of knowledge and will be a reference source and the authoritative voice on what we have, where it is, how to process it, and how to add value before export,” he stated.
Prof. Ikemuonso noted that Nigeria is blessed with over 44 solid minerals and numerous agro and industrial raw materials, but less than 10% are processed locally.
The Director General of RMRDC said JORMAR would bridge the gap between research findings and industrial application.
He added that the journal would also feature works from universities, polytechnics, research institutes, and private Research & Development labs.
“We want JORMAR to be a peer-reviewed, open-access journal for any researcher, investor, manufacturer, or policymaker working with Nigerian raw materials,” he said.
To make JORMAR truly an international Journal, the Technical Committee and the entire management of RMRDC looked for a more competent personality to lead the international Editorial Board of JORMAR, and Prof. Peter Onwualu was appointed; he gladly accepted the appointment as the Editor-in-Chief of JORMAR.
Onwualu is the former Director General of RMRDC and currently the President/ Vice Chancellor of an international University – African University of Science and Technology(AUST).
On what the new JORMAR will deliver, the Editor-in-Chief of the newly rebranded Journal of Raw Materials Research— JORMAR, Prof. Peter Onwualu, expressed his appreciation to the Governing Board, Management and staff of RMRDC for the confidence reposed in him to lead this important scholarly publication at this historic moment.
”Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in Nigeria’s journey towards becoming a globally recognised producer of high-quality scientific knowledge on raw materials development, value addition, industrial innovation and sustainable resource management,” Prof. Onwualu stated.
Delivering a keynote speech during the launch, Prof. Peter Onwualu, who was ably represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, AUST, Dr. Abdulhakeem Bello, reiterated the fact that for over three decades, RMRDC has remained at the forefront of promoting the development, utilisation and commercialisation of Nigeria’s abundant raw material resources.
He said: “The transformation of JORMAR into a fully rebranded international journal with an international Editorial Board and an online publishing platform is therefore a natural and strategic progression, and it reflects a collective commitment to excellence, global visibility and scientific impact.”
According to him, “the world today is driven by knowledge, innovation and technology.
“Nations that lead in research and development are those that convert scientific discoveries into industrial products, wealth creation, employment opportunities and improved quality of life.
“Raw materials remain the foundation upon which manufacturing, industrialisation, renewable energy, pharmaceuticals, construction, agriculture, advanced materials and the emerging green economy are built.
“Consequently, research on raw materials has never been more relevant than it is today. The vision for the new JORMAR is clear.
“Both the Editorial Board and Technical Committee aspire to build one of Africa’s leading multidisciplinary journals dedicated to raw materials research, processing technologies, materials science, manufacturing, circular economy, sustainable resource utilisation, mineral development, bioresources, industrial chemistry, environmental sustainability, tariff and regional trade in raw materials, economics of raw materials development and supply chain management and related disciplines.
“They pledged to provide a credible platform for researchers, academics, innovators, industry practitioners, policy-makers and development partners to disseminate high-quality research that addresses real-world challenges.
“As Editor-in-Chief, my commitment is to uphold the highest standards of scholarly publishing.
“The journal will operate on internationally accepted principles of rigorous peer review, editorial independence, research integrity, transparency and ethical publishing.
“We shall continually improve the quality of manuscripts, strengthen our review processes, reduce publication turnaround time, and adopt global best practices in digital publishing,” Onwualu assured.
He explained that the ambition extends beyond publishing quality papers, as “it aims to position JORMAR for indexing in leading international databases and abstracting services, thereby increasing its visibility, accessibility, citation impact and contribution to global scientific discourse.
“And actively encourage submissions from researchers across Africa and other parts of the world while remaining committed to addressing issues that are particularly relevant to developing economies.”
The Editor-in-Chief, therefore, invited researchers, universities, research institutes, industries, professional societies, policy-makers, and international collaborators to make JORMAR their journal of choice, to collectively build a vibrant scholarly community that generates evidence-based solutions for sustainable industrial development and economic transformation.
He acknowledged the distinguished members of the international Editorial Board, reviewers, associate editors, and editorial staff whose expertise, dedication, and professionalism will be critical to the success of this journal.
He said academic publishing is a collaborative enterprise, adding that the strength of any journal depends on the commitment of its entire scholarly community.
Also, he emphasised that the success of JORMAR will not be measured merely by the number of papers published but by the quality, relevance, influence and societal impact of the knowledge
disseminated.
“The ultimate goal is to ensure that research findings contribute meaningfully to policy formulation, technology development, industrial competitiveness, entrepreneurship, environmental sustainability and national development.
Prof. Onwualu called on the JORMAR team and all stakeholders to renew their collective commitment to advancing scientific excellence, fostering innovation, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthening the linkage between research and industry.
“Together, they can build a journal that not only meets international standards but also becomes a leading voice in advancing raw materials research for sustainable development in Africa and beyond.
“I thank the Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of RMRDC, the Governing Board, our partners, members of the Editorial Board, authors, reviewers and all stakeholders for their unwavering support and confidence.
“I look forward to working with all of you in making the Journal of Raw Materials Research a globally respected publication,” Onwualu concluded.
Dr. Sab Ebiriekwe, Chairman, JORMAR implementation committee, and Director, Agriculture and Agro-Allied Department – RMRDC, examined the evolution, transformation and future of JORMAR, being the flagship scholarly journal of the RMRDC, which was first published in 2004 to provide a platform for communicating research findings on Nigeria’s abundant raw materials and their industrial applications.
He said over the years, the journal documented valuable scientific contributions from researchers within and outside the Council and became an important reference for stakeholders interested in Nigeria’s raw materials development.
“Like many institutional journals of its time, however, JORMAR remained largely a print publication.
“While it served its purpose commendably, its reach was limited by the realities of conventional publishing.
“Access was restricted, international visibility was modest, and much of the valuable research it contained remained beyond the reach of the wider global scientific community.
“Following the publication of its last printed edition in 2017, the journal became inactive. During the years that followed, the world of scholarly publishing changed fundamentally.
“Scientific excellence is no longer judged solely by the quality of research produced, but also by how easily that research can be discovered, accessed, cited and applied.
“Around the world, digital publishing, open-access platforms and international indexing have become the standard for scholarly communication.
“A journal without a credible online presence is increasingly absent from global academic discourse, regardless of the quality of the work it publishes.
JORMAR Technical Committee Chairman affirmed that RMRDC recognised the reality as Nigeria’s foremost institution charged with promoting the development and utilisation of the nation’s raw materials, RMRDC understood that generating knowledge alone is no longer sufficient.
He pointed out that knowledge must be preserved, made visible, and placed where researchers, industries, policy-makers and development partners around the world can readily access and apply it.
Against this background, the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Professor Nnanyelugo Martins Ike-Muonso, initiated the comprehensive repositioning of JORMAR to restore the journal and develop it into a credible, internationally recognised platform that reflects the Council’s mandate and meets contemporary standards of scholarly publishing and immediacy.
Recall that the JORMAR Implementation Committee was inaugurated early in 2026 and charged with developing a practical roadmap for the journal’s revival and digital transformation.
The Committee was entrusted with four principal responsibilities, which include to develop a secure and sustainable digital platform for publishing and disseminating research findings from RMRDC and collaborating researchers; and to improve the journal’s visibility and discoverability through integration with reputable scholarly databases and indexing platforms.
Other terms of reference include to establish an efficient online manuscript submission, peer-review and publication workflow consistent with internationally accepted publishing standards; and ensure the long-term digital preservation and accessibility of both current and previously published editions of the journal.
Recognising that this assignment required specialised expertise, the Committee worked closely with Standardbiblio.com. Nig. to evaluate available publishing solutions and identify the platform best suited to the Council’s long-term objectives.
“Within six months, the collaboration produced what we proudly unveil today—a dedicated online publishing platform for JORMAR, accessible.”
The transformation, Ebiliekwe said, extends far beyond the creation of a website, noting that JORMAR has now migrated from a conventional print journal to a fully integrated digital publishing system.
“Every stage of the publication process—from manuscript submission and editorial screening to peer review, copy-editing, production, publication and long-term archiving—is now managed through a modern electronic journal management system designed in accordance with international best practices.
“The journal has adopted a double-blind peer-review process to ensure fairness, objectivity and academic integrity.
“It also operates under the Gold Open Access publishing model, making every published article freely accessible to researchers, students, industries, policy-makers and innovators across the world without subscription barriers.
“To ensure reliability, security and uninterrupted access, the journal is hosted on the Council’s cloud-based server infrastructure, providing a stable digital environment capable of supporting the journal’s continued growth and international reach,” he stated.
Some observers, including Mr. Bonny Alaneme, have, however, urged RMRDC to ensure the journal maintains high editorial standards, regular publication, and wide digital access to avoid the fate of previous government journals that became dormant.
