Doris Uzoka-Ante, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is committed to using the industrial sector to make the economy more varied.
She clarified that the diversification will concentrate on areas where Nigeria has comparative and competitive advantages, such as the oil palm sector.
The minister confirmed this on Wednesday while speaking to participants during a one-day meeting to gather the opinions of stakeholders in the oil palm industry, for the need to revive and reposition the sector in Akwa Ibom State
Uzoka-Ante, represented by the ministry’s Principal Commercial Officer, Commodity and Export Department, Mr. Adesanya Adebayo, stated that in Nigeria, 80 percent of production comes from dispersed smallholders who harvest semi-wild plants and use manual processing techniques.
“Several million smallholders are spread over an estimated area ranging from 1.65 million hectares to 2.4 million hectares and a maximum of 3 million hectares. Additionally, 90% of palm oil is used by the food industry and the remaining 10% is utilized by the non-food industry. The noodle industry alone consumes 72,000 MT of imported palm oil, a demand that leading domestic palm oil producers are yet to meet.
“This is because Nigeria currently produces only 1.7% of the world’s consumption of palm oil, which is not enough to meet its domestic consumption, standing at 2.7%.5. Nevertheless, the Nigeria oil palm sector has been a main driver of economic growth, providing job opportunities, generating revenue, and significantly contributing to our prosperity.
“To maintain and improve this heritage, we must recognize the challenges that lie ahead and collectively strive for a vision that ensures the continued success of our oil palm industry.” The minister conveyed
Similarly, the President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria, NPPAN, Amb. Alphonsus Inyang, urged for cooperation with the Federal Ministry in the organization’s initiatives to create 50 millionaires in each state of the country through Oil Palm Produce.
The NPPAN President mentioned that his group was also working on establishing Millionaires Club in rural communities through Palm Oil Produce and pledged to combat the adulteration of palm oil with chemicals by middlemen in the business.
Inyang proposed the establishment of a palm oil market in collaboration with the Federal Ministry and State Government, while urging the Federal Government to declare a public holiday for Oil Palm Tree plantation in the country as planting of masquerade trees holds no economic importance to the country.
He stated, “Hon. Minister, we want to plant palm trees in the country across North, South, East and West let your Ministry work with us, our target is to plant 37,500 Palm trees per year, 250,000 Hectares Per year, 5million households, 10million USD, GDP, 28 States involved and one family 20 Palm trees”.
Additionally, Inyang, while welcoming inputs from all stakeholders in the Oil Palm Value Chain on the need to rejuvenate and reposition the sector mentioned that palm trees have remained an African cultural and traditional plant as the first name for the plant is West African Swam Crop.
The main highlights of the event included checking the Palm Processing Mills, Farms, like the Dakkada Palm Kernel Mill at Ibesikpo LGA, Malibe Farms in Uyo LGA, and getting inputs from various people involved in the event, including the Chairman of Agro Ideas Ltd, Mr. Nsidebe Eduok, and others.
