The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, in collaboration with Mass Industrial Development and Logistics Limited and other key stakeholders in the palm oil sub-sector, has launched a renewed push to revitalise Nigeria’s palm oil industry through strategic partnerships with states and private investors.

The initiative, unveiled at a national Stakeholders’ meeting on the Joint Development of Nigeria’s Palm Oil Production Capacity, held on Thur, April 16, in Abuja, aims to drive industrial growth, create jobs and cut Nigeria’s heavy reliance on palm oil imports.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme is designed to save the country up to $500 million annually in import costs while strengthening food sovereignty and revitalising the sector.

Represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Engineer Ibrahim Alkali, Kyari explained that the initiative would operate under a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, with government providing policy, regulatory and institutional support without resorting to public borrowing.

“The success of this initiative depends on strong collaboration among stakeholders.

It is time to move from intention to implementation. Nigeria must take bold and deliberate steps to reposition agriculture as a driver of economic growth,” he said.

Kyari recalled that Nigeria dominated the global palm oil market in the 1960s with over 40 percent market share but now produces about 1.4 million metric tonnes annually, far below domestic demand of over 2.5 million metric tonnes. This shortfall, he noted, forces the country to spend between $500 million and $600 million yearly on imports.

“What this means is simple: we are exporting opportunities and importing what we have the capacity to produce,” he added.

The minister said the initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the recently validated National Oil Palm Development Strategy, which focuses on boosting production, improving yields, expanding processing capacity and integrating smallholder farmers into structured value chains.

He emphasised the critical role of state governments in providing land, enabling policies, infrastructure and community engagement to drive the programme’s success.

Under the Mass Industrial proposal, phase one of the initiative will see the establishment of seven integrated oil palm estates, each spanning 10,000 hectares across participating states.

The estates will function as full economic ecosystems, combining cultivation with modern processing facilities, storage, distribution infrastructure and residential communities for over 2,000 families per site.

Phase two will focus on downstream processing and manufacturing of palm-based products to enhance value addition and position Nigeria competitively in both domestic and international markets.

Kyari disclosed that the project is financially viable, with projected internal rates of return between 18 and 25 percent and payback periods of five to seven years, supported by strong domestic demand and export potential.

He noted that Nigeria has over three million hectares of suitable land for oil palm cultivation, much of which remains underutilised, while existing plantations suffer from low productivity due to ageing trees and limited access to improved inputs.

“Nigeria has the land, climate, market and people. What we need now is decisive investment and coordinated action,” he said.

In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director of Farm Input Support Services, Engr. Abba Waziri, said the project followed the ministry’s approval of the Mass Industrial proposal as a national initiative.

He also highlighted the recent validation of the National Oil Palm Development Strategy after extensive stakeholder consultations.

Ogunbiyi commended the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Mass Industrial Development and Logistics, Engr. Emmanuel Obiorah Anyaralu, for spearheading the initiative, describing it as timely and critical for boosting productivity, value addition and global competitiveness.

In his presentation, Anyaralu described the programme as a “game changer” for Nigeria’s palm oil ecosystem, noting that it would significantly improve internally generated revenue and livelihoods for farmers across the value chain.

The stakeholders’ meeting brought together state commissioners of agriculture, investors, development partners, researchers and other actors in the palm oil value chain, with the aim of securing broad-based support for the initiative.

Kyari urged stakeholders to seize the opportunity to unlock the sector’s full potential.

“The opportunity is clear, the fundamentals are strong, and the returns are compelling. Together, we can turn potential into productivity and vision into reality,” he said.

Copyright © 2026 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).