In the next five years Nigeria hopes to be amongst the first three highest producer of oil palm in the world. Towards this end, the Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN) has unveiled a plan to replant 1.5 million hectares of land over the next five years. The initiative aims to increase Nigeria’s palm oil production and position the country as the third-largest producer globally.
According to the Oil Palm Development Strategy for Nigeria 2024-2029, efforts will be made to address challenges facing the industry, including inefficient land use practices and market volatility. OPGAN President, Joe Onyiuke, said the strategy represents a paradigm shift and a game-changing blueprint for the industry’s sustainable development.
In order to realise this objective, the association has implored stakeholders, including government agencies, private enterprises, and research institutions, to support the initiative. According to Onyiuke, the successful implementation of the plan will require collaboration and dedication from all parties involved.
Oyiuke and his association certainly will be able to realise the objective as they have the back of the government. That much was stated by the Director of the Federal Department of Agriculture, Abdullahi G. Abubakar. He praised OPGAN’s efforts, affirming that the initiative aligns with the Federal Government’s objectives to boost the agricultural sector and attain food security. He urged other agricultural commodity associations to develop similar strategic plans for their subsectors.
