The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has committed to assisting Nigeria in narrowing its one million metric-tonne palm oil supply deficit. This partnership will focus on providing technical expertise, research collaboration, and new investment avenues. To facilitate this, the MPOC is opening a representative office in Lagos to engage more closely with local industry participants.
During the Malaysia Market Connect event in Lagos, MPOC Chief Executive Officer Belvinder Sron highlighted Nigeria’s potential to return as a top global producer. With Malaysia having exported 300,000 metric tonnes of palm-based products to Nigeria over the past year, Sron emphasized that local demand is currently far outstripping domestic output. Malaysia aims to act as a development partner, offering superior seedlings and sustainable farming knowledge to improve smallholder productivity.
Dr. Oseni Tijani of the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology pointed to a lack of modern processing technology as a primary obstacle, urging increased investment in fractionation methods. Meanwhile, NPPAN President Dr. Alphonsus Inyang noted that the industry’s main issue is insufficient fruit production despite Nigeria’s ideal climate for cultivation. NACCIMA representative David Iweta emphasized the urgency of this collaboration, noting that Nigeria’s annual consumption of 2.4 million metric tonnes vastly exceeds its 1.5 million metric tonne production capacity.
