RMRDC boss Ike-Muonso wins WAITRO board seat for Sub-Saharan Africa
- Prof Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso of Nigeria's RMRDC has been elected Sub-Saharan Africa's representative on the WAITRO board.
- He beat candidates from Botswana and Nigeria at the group's summit in Istanbul, held 26 to 28 October.
- The seat gives Nigeria a stronger voice in global talks on research, technology and industrial growth.
Nigeria now has a seat at the top table of a global research body. Prof Nnanyelugo Ike-Muonso, who heads the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), has been elected to represent Sub-Saharan Africa on the board of the World Association of Industrial and Technological Research Organisations (WAITRO).
The vote took place at WAITRO's 2026 summit in Istanbul, Türkiye, which ran from 26 to 28 October. Ike-Muonso saw off two challengers: Prof Wellington Riach Liamba Masamba, Vice-Chancellor of the Botswana University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Prof Mohammed Aliyu Paiko, Vice-Chancellor of Abdulkadir Kure University in Nigeria. Reports described his win as a landslide.
Why this matters for Nigerians
WAITRO brings together research institutes, universities and industry from around the world to share knowledge and turn science into products people can use. A Nigerian on its board means the country can push its priorities — local processing of raw materials, homegrown technology and partnerships that create jobs — in rooms where global research funding and collaboration are decided.
The RMRDC, under Ike-Muonso, has been working to close the gap between Nigerian laboratories and factories. Its focus has been on adding value to raw materials inside the country, helping researchers sell their ideas commercially, and backing manufacturers to compete.
According to Tribune, the new role is expected to give him a wider platform to pursue those goals across Africa, through more joint work, technology transfer and partnerships with research organisations on the continent.
The election also lifts Sub-Saharan Africa's voice in WAITRO's decision-making, including how research priorities are set and how scientific findings are turned into practical industrial use.
For ordinary Nigerians, the payoff would be gradual: more locally made goods, less reliance on imported finished products, and stronger links between universities and the companies that employ graduates.
What happens next
Ike-Muonso takes up the regional representative role on the WAITRO board. The council has not said what specific programmes it will push through the new position, or when.
