Nigeria Lost $1.4bn to Chemical Importation in 2019

Prof. Jeffrey Barminas, the Director-General, National Research Institute for Chemical Technology, Zaria, said Nigeria imported chemicals and chemical-related products of $1.4 billion in 2019 alone.

Barminas made the statement on Thursday at an interactive session with Senate Committee on Science and Technology chaired by Sen. Uche Ekwunife in Abuja.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria, the prof said Nigeria was losing a lot on chemical imports.

He said, “We are highly dependent on importation of chemicals and chemical products into this country.

“Just in 2019 alone, this country has lost over $1.4bn on the importation of chemicals.

“And how can we handle this. We as a nation can produce chemicals and chemical products based on the natural resources that God has endowed us with.

“Because of our dependence on petroleum for a long time, we left our indigenous chemical technology and that’s why today we are losing a lot in terms of importation.”

Barminas, however, said if the nation got its chemical technology right, it would bridge the existing gap in chemical importation and create more jobs locally.

The NARICT boss added that one of the institute’s achievements was the production of fertilizer.

“The fertilizer we have is not chemical fertilizer that affects the soil when applied over a long period. Rather it is an organic fertilizer; it is need-based.”