The Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) has initiated a major national effort to position Nigeria within the booming $5 billion global Aloe Vera market.
The move aims to boost industrial growth, create employment, and promote export diversification across multiple sectors of the economy.
Speaking during a National Stakeholders’ Engagement on Aloe Vera Value Chain Development held in Abuja, RMRDC’s Director-General, Professor Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, said the initiative marks a turning point for Nigeria’s underdeveloped Aloe Vera industry. He emphasized that the project seeks to transform Aloe Vera cultivation into a thriving value chain that will strengthen the nation’s manufacturing base and reduce dependence on imported raw materials.
Professor Ike-Muonso lamented that Nigeria remains behind other countries in the global Aloe Vera market despite its favorable climate and resources. He identified the lack of reliable data, inadequate technology, limited financing, and poor coordination among agencies as key challenges hindering progress. “Aloe Vera is a wonder plant with immense potential across the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food industries. Nigeria can no longer afford to overlook its value,” he stated.
According to the Director-General, RMRDC plans to establish a National Aloe Vera Working Group (NAWG) to oversee research, develop production standards with NAFDAC and SON, and support certified nurseries for quality seedlings. The council also intends to link small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with investors and international markets to boost trade and innovation in the sector.
The Director of Agriculture and Agro-Allied Raw Materials at RMRDC, Dr. Sab Ebiriekwe, noted that the engagement was designed to unite stakeholders and map out a clear roadmap for developing Nigeria’s Aloe Vera value chain. He described the plant as one of the most underutilized agricultural resources in the country, despite its global economic significance.
Managing Director of Dipton Nigeria Limited, Ike Willie-Nwobu, praised RMRDC for its leadership and revealed an upcoming partnership with India’s Loharu Agro Farm to provide technical mentorship and enhance local production capacity. Participants at the event also agreed to set up a multi-stakeholder task force to implement an Aloe Vera Development Roadmap under RMRDC’s commercialization framework.
