RMRDC RE-LAUNCHES JORMAR, NOW DIGITALISED TO DRIVE RESEARCH, VALUE- ADDITION IN NIGERIA’S RAW MATERIALS SECTOR … Journal Serves as Repository of Knowledge for Scientists, Industries, and Policy Makers_ By Bonny Alaneme
The Management of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council – RMRDC, has re-
launched the Journal of Raw Materials Research – JORMAR, repositioning it as a flagship platform
to promote research, innovation, and data-driven industrialization in Nigeria.
The re-launch ceremony, held at the RMRDC Headquarters in Abuja, 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, why JORMAR is coming back now, 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 produced only less than 20 PHDs, with less than 10 peer
review articles and 46 patents since inception in 1988.
_“ 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 DG said JORMAR will bridge
the gap between research findings and industrial application.
He added that the journal will also feature works from universities, polytechnics, research institutes,
and private R&D labs. “We want JORMAR to be a peer-reviewed, open-access for any
researcher, investor, manufacturer, or policy maker working with Nigerian raw materials,” he
said.
To make JORMAR truly international Journal, the Technical committee and the entire management of
RMRDC look a more competent personality to lead the international Editorial Board of JORMAR, and
Prof. Peter Onwualu was appointed and gladly he accepted the appointment as the Editor-in-Chief of
JORMAR, and being the formal Director General of RMRDC and currently the President/ Vice
Chancellor of an international University – African University of Science and Technology –AUST, it is
indeed a rare privilege to have on board..
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 sincere appreciation to the Governing Board, Management
and staff of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council – 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 recognized
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 his
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, utilization and
commercialization of Nigeria's abundant raw material resources. 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 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, industrialization, 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 utilization,
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, policymakers 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.
The ambition extends beyond publishing quality papers, and the aim 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 invites researchers, universities, research institutes,
industries, professional societies, policymakers, 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 acknowledge the distinguished members of our international Editorial Board,
reviewers, associate editors, and editorial staff whose expertise, dedication, and professionalism
will be critical to the success of this journal. Academic publishing is a collaborative enterprise,
and the strength of any journal depends on the commitment of its entire scholarly community.
Also, he emphasized 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 Conclude.
Dr. Sab Ebiriekwe, Chairman, JORMAR implementation committee, and Director, Agriculture and Agro-Allied
Department – RMRDC, X-rayed the evolution, transformation and future of JORMAR, being the flagship scholarly
journal of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), was first published in 2004 to provide a
platform for communicating research findings on Nigeria's abundant raw materials and their industrial applications.
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. That knowledge must be preserved, made visible, and placed
where researchers, industries, policymakers 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 immediately, JORMAR Implementation Committee was inaugurated early in 2026 and charged it with
developing a practical roadmap for the journal's revival and digital transformation.
The Committee was entrusted with four principal responsibilities:
1) to develop a secure and sustainable digital platform for publishing and disseminating research findings from
RMRDC and collaborating researchers;
2) to improve the journal's visibility and discoverability through integration with reputable scholarly databases and
indexing platforms;
3) to establish an efficient online manuscript submission, peer-review and publication workflow consistent with
internationally accepted publishing standards; and
4) to 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, this collaboration produced what we proudly unveil today—a dedicated online
publishing platform for JORMAR, accessible through www.jormar.rmrdc.gov.ng. 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, policymakers 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.
In addition, the scope of JORMAR has been significantly expanded to reflect both the evolving mandate of the Council
and emerging global research priorities. Beyond traditional raw materials research, the journal now welcomes
contributions in agriculture and agro-industrial raw materials, minerals and advanced materials, chemicals and
pharmaceutical raw materials, bioresources and biodiversity, product development, technology adaptation, indigenous
engineering, additive manufacturing, commercialisation, circular economy, industrial competitiveness, sustainability,
investment promotion, economics and public policy.
This broader scope positions JORMAR as a multidisciplinary platform where science, engineering, technology,
economics and innovation converge to support industrial development.
Another important priority has been to position JORMAR within the global scholarly communication system.
Accordingly, the Council has initiated the processes required for the journal's integration with internationally recognised
scholarly platforms and indexing services, including Crossref, Google Scholar, African Journals Online (AJOL),
Dimensions, Semantic Scholar, Scilit and OpenAlex. The journal is also being prepared for inclusion in the Directory of
Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and, in due course, Scopus, as it continues to satisfy the quality requirements of these
internationally respected databases.
The rebirth of JORMAR represents far more than the revival of a scientific journal. It reflects the Council's conviction
that knowledge remains one of the most valuable resources for national development. Natural resources alone do not
build prosperous nations. They create opportunities. It is research that unlocks those opportunities; innovation that
transforms them into technologies; and industry that converts those technologies into economic growth, employment
and national prosperity. JORMAR has therefore been conceived as more than a publication. It is a bridge between
research and industry; between scientific discovery and commercial application; between academia and policymakers;
and between Nigeria and the global scientific community. JORMAR will help to encourage collaboration, stimulate
innovation, support evidence-based policymaking and contribute meaningfully to the sustainable development of
Nigeria and Africa, and the rebirth of JORMAR represents far more than the revival of a scientific journal. It reflects the
Council's conviction that knowledge remains one of the most valuable resources for national development.
Dr. Sab Ebiliekwe concluded by stating a thought that "Raw materials are the foundation of industry, but
knowledge is the raw material of innovation. Nations that transform both into value create enduring
prosperity." And May the reborn JORMAR preserve our scientific heritage, advance African scholarship,
inspire innovation, strengthen industry and serve future generations as a trusted platform for scientific
excellence.
Some observers, 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 went dormant.
