The Abuja-based agriculture and mineral resources International Organisation for Standardization (ISO) certification laboratory was established by the Federal Government through the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC).
The newly established lab is reportedly intended to analyze agricultural and mineral resources produced in accordance with international standards for exportation.
The laboratory will end the undervaluing of exporters by other investors, according to Mr. Obassi Ettu, Deputy Director, Engineering Design, Development, and Technical Assistant to the Director-General of the council.
It was part of the accomplishments of Prof. Ettu, who gave newsmen a tour of the recently built facility. the council’s Director-General, Hussain Ibrahim.
He claimed that RMRDC’s response to the need for high-caliber infrastructure in the country included the laboratory.
“Exporters can undersell themselves by sending their raw materials overseas; what you need is value addition, which can be accomplished by understanding the contents of the raw materials.
“It is accomplished when the laboratory gives you a characterization of what is present in the raw materials, and as a result, the raw materials’ value increases.
“For instance, lead zinc exporters who sell raw zinc receive anything because they are in need of cash.
“However, after analyzing the lead zinc, you would discover that silver, copper, lead, and zinc contributed to the material’s value.
This would be detailed in the ISO certificate and have a higher market value, he said.
According to Fortune Alabi, Assistant Director and Head of the Pharmaceutical Materials Division, the laboratory was ISO certified, so any results it presented were recognized all over the world as thoroughly certified analyses.