INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

The Raw Materials Research Development Council (RMRDC) is an of the

Federal Government of Nigeria vested with the mandate to provide the

development and utilization of Nigeria’s industrial raw materials. It originated

from the recommendation of a workshop on material matters which was

organized by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the

Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) in July 1983 it

was established by Decree No. 39 of 1987 but commenced operation on

February 10m 1988 it is today Nigeria’s local point for the development and

utilization of the nation’s vast industrial raw materials.

What is it for?

The primary mandates of RMRDC are:

● To draw up policy guidelines and action programmes on raw materials

acquisition exploitation and development

● To review from time raw materials resources availability and

utilization with a view to advising the Federal Government on the

strategic implementation of development conversation of stock pulling

of such resources.

● To advice on adaptation of machinery and process for raw materials

utilization

● To provide special research grants for specific objectives and device

awards on systems for industries that achieve breakthrough on move

innovations and inventions and

● To encourage the publicity of research findings and other information

relevant to local sourcing of raw materials.

Why is it Important?

Industrial development is one of the indices for measuring the development of

nations. The survival of manufacturing industries is predicted largely on

availability of raw materials which are part of the wealth of nations. The

exploitation and utilization of raw materials is central to the standard of living

of the citizens of a nation. RMRDC is therefore very critical to the

development and survival of Nigeria’s industries and consequently the

standard of living of its citizen.

Currently the capacity utilization of many industries in Nigeria is low due to

lack of raw materials and other required inputs. To improve capacity

utilizations RMRDC through its numerous programmes has been promoting

new investigations in the local resources-based industries and encouraging

existing industries to source their raw materials from within Nigeria.

How does it function?

RMRDC functions through a Governing Board which reports to the Federal

Ministry of Science and Technology the supervising Ministry. In the absence

of a Governing Board the Honourable Minister of Science and Technology

takes charge of the affairs of the Council.

RMRDC executes the mandate under a six departmental structure made up of

four technical and two administrative departments as well as the office of the

Director-General Chief Executive which oversees the entire affairs of the

Council.

Some RMRDC Achievements

● The Council’s Raw Materials Information System (RMIS) a unique

data bank on available raw materials in Nigeria their locations and

reserve estimates their applicability etc. an increasing contribution to

the information available on the nation’s revenue endowment.

● The Council has just completed the installation of VSAT facility in

forty-two (42) remote sites in addition to the one installed in the

headquarters. This project is part of the ways of disseminating R & D

data technical information among researchers entrepreneurs

industrialist and the general public.

● RMRDC’s catalytic model factories and joint venture programmes has

stimulated the establishment of several small-scale raw materials

processing factories in Nigeria.

● RMRDC has through several of its outreach programmes created

immense awareness on local raw materials sourcing and development

and utilization.

● RMRDC has provided a platform through which Nigeria is actively

engaged in international activities effecting new materials exploitation

development and utilization.

Brief History of the Study

Nigeria is a country endowed with a lot of raw materials which are distributed

over several local governments in all the state of the country. It is therefore

necessary to find a way of keeping and managing the information on these raw

materials. Before the computerization of the company all the information on

raw materials was kept on paper and the problem involve with this data

redundancy and it also lack efficiency.

This project work is aimed at showing information about the available raw

materials in each state of federation and also their distribution over local

governments.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The following problems have been adduced from the questionnaires: Raw

materials respondents complained of the following:

● Irregular supply and shortage of raw materials which limit capacity

utilization

● Lack of local raw materials and difficulty in importation

● Adulterated raw materials when bought from local importers

● Lack of foreign exchange to purchase raw materials

1.3 Aims and Objectives of the Study

The project work is highly objective as is has important goals that must be

achieved before it can be termed worthwhile. The major objectives of this

study are to design a raw material information system that will replace the

existing processing of Raw Material Research and Development Council

Abuja.

Other objectives of the study are as follows:

● Knowing if adequate information is collected stored and processed in

the organization

● If information is actually used in decision making

● To draw attention of the management of the organization to know the

need to plan implement and review the methods of information

resource management.

● To ensure ways of improving systems of these organization.

With the case study of Raw Material Research and Development Council

(RMRDC) efforts will be made to access information resource management

capacity of the organization. International Research Management posses

complex problems to the management of modern organization. These

complex administrative and operational problems emanated from improper

resource management therefore will be useful in assisting the management of

these organizations to improve both the effectiveness of their information

strategies. It will also help other researchers to enlarge their views about

information resource management.

1.4 Scope of the Study

This study was able to handle all the available raw material in each state of the

federation and their location over each local government which includes

addition of raw material discovered editing the satisfy ones and deleting the

raw materials that has gone diminished. However this project did not include

how the raw materials are mined.

1.5 Limitations of the Study

Due to lack of time and fund this study is carried out in only organization Raw

Material Research and Development Council (RMRDC). This case study

however is unique in that Raw Material Research and Development Council is

the only organization charged with the responsibility of forging industrial

development with local materials in Nigeria.

1.6 Definition of Terms

It is necessary to define those term used in this study to avoid

misinterpretation.

● Raw Materials: Unfinished goods used in the manufacture of a

product. Raw materials are often natural resources such as oil iron

and wood. Before being used in the manufacturing process raw

materials often are altered to be used in different processes. Raw

materials are carried on a company’s balance section. E.g. a

steelmaker uses iron in one and other metals on producing steel.

● Information: This is any set of data facts numbers signals

messages verbal symbols or recorded events which have been

systematically organized in to meaningful whole to serve as input in to

management process.

● Resource: Wealth supplies of goods raw materials which a person or

country has or can use. Resource in this study refers to information.

● Management: Management encompasses both the acts and processes

of planning organizing directing controlling the resources of an

organization such as objectives are accomplished.

● Information Resources: Is a valuable and costly asset which must be

preserved protected controlled and planned as other valuable

resources of the organization e.g. human financial and equipment. It

is an invisible asset.

● Information Resources Management: This can be seen as a system

to convert data form internal and sources into information and to

communicate that information in an appropriate form to managers at

all levels to enable them make timely and effective decision. For this

to be achieved there is dire need for adequate and materials to be

processed which generates processes and stores such information

(resources) information is thus what every organization survives with.