Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso to deliver 10th Bullion lecture

The Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, is set to deliver the 10th edition of the Bullion Lecture.

The lecture, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 23, 2026, will hold at The Civic Centre in Victoria Island, Lagos.

Themed “From resources to prosperity: How raw materials development, value addition and innovation can catalyse Nigeria’s industrial renaissance,” the lecture will focus on strategies for transforming Nigeria’s vast natural resources into drivers of sustainable economic growth.

Ike-Muonso, a natural resource economist and academic with over three decades of experience, is widely regarded for his expertise in raw materials markets, supply chain economics and research commercialisation. In his current role, he has been at the forefront of efforts to reposition Nigeria from a resource-dependent economy to a value-driven industrial hub.

He is credited as the chief architect of the proposed 30 per cent Value-Addition Bill, which seeks to mandate local processing of all extracted raw materials before export. The initiative is aimed at strengthening domestic industries, reducing import dependence and enhancing economic sovereignty.

Under his leadership, the RMRDC has intensified advocacy for policies that promote local production and industrial linkages, positioning Nigeria as a potential manufacturing and processing hub within Africa.

Before his appointment, Ike-Muonso served as Chief Executive Officer of ValueFronteira Limited, a commodities research and data analytics firm. His professional career also includes collaborations with global institutions such as the World Bank, UNDP, European Commission, ECOWAS, USAID, DFID, FCDO, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, as well as academic engagements with Lagos Business School and Edinburgh Business School.

According to a statement by Ray Echebiri, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Centre for Financial Journalism, organisers of the event, the lecture will be chaired by Kelvin Dele Oye, Chairman of the Alliance for Economic Research and Ethics and former President of the National Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture.

Other key participants include Jacob Esan, Chief Executive Officer of Geo Fluids Plc, and Christian Udechukwu, Anambra State Commissioner for Industrial Development, who will serve as panelists to analyse the lecture.

The event will also feature the unveiling of a book titled “Pathways to Nigeria’s Socio-Economic Transformation,” edited by Echebiri. The publication is a compilation of past Bullion Lectures delivered between 2016 and 2026.

A wide array of participants is expected at the event, including government officials, industry leaders, academics, financial experts, energy sector stakeholders, manufacturers, maritime professionals, ICT practitioners, members of the diplomatic community, and representatives of multilateral institutions.

Organisers say the lecture series continues to provide a platform for robust discussions on Nigeria’s economic development and policy direction.