The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) has said the country will be self-sufficient and meet its global market share of oil palm by 2050.
The association’s national president, Alphonsus Inyang, said the feat would be achieved through the effective implementation of a national oil palm development strategy.
Mr Inyang stated this on the sidelines of the national oil palm development strategy validation meeting.
He noted that, with the guideline, the country’s current production capacity of 1.4 to 1.5 metric tonnes annually would increase to 9 to 10 metric tonnes between now and 2050.
Mr Inyang, who is also the vice chairman of the technical working group for developing the national oil palm development strategy, emphasised the need to empower smallholder farmers to enhance production.
He said the country will extend oil palm production to Taraba, Niger and Kogi States under the framework.
According to him, leveraging some northern states, among other measures, will be part of the process of achieving the goal.
“Taraba, with 69,000 square kilometres of land, is well placed to cultivate oil palm trees more than the whole southern part of the country. Taraba State has longer sunshine than southern Nigeria; it also has water in some parts,” he said.
“So those are the things we are going to leverage. Niger State, too, has areas that can produce oil palm, Kogi also.”
Mr Inyang explained that the framework would encapsulate the establishment of a National Oil Palm Council (NOPC), an oil palm development fund, and a national smallholders development fund.
According to him, the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) will be transitioned into a Nigerian Oil Palm Board to oversee research, development and innovation in the sector.