Nigeria Launches National Palm Oil Traceability Plan to Cut $600m Imports, Drive Sustainability

In a bold move to revitalise Nigeria’s palm oil industry and reduce its over $600 million annual import bill, the Federal Government has inaugurated a National Palm Oil Traceability Framework and an Interagency Committee. The initiative, unveiled in Abuja, aims to boost domestic production, enhance supply chain transparency, and promote ethical and sustainable practices in palm oil sourcing.

Launched under the National Initiative for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS), the programme is being implemented in collaboration with development partners Solidaridad and IDH, with support from the UK and Dutch governments.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari — represented by Permanent Secretary Dr. Marcus Ogunbiyi — described the move as a critical step in restoring Nigeria’s global leadership in palm oil. He noted that Nigeria, once the world’s top palm oil producer in the 1960s, now accounts for less than 2% of global production, despite a domestic demand of over 2 million metric tonnes.

The new framework is expected to serve as a strategic tool for improving food safety, increasing Nigeria’s competitiveness in international markets, and aligning the country’s agricultural value chain with global sustainability and ethical sourcing standards.

“This is a clear demonstration of our determination to modernise agriculture, make our palm oil traceable, and ensure that every litre produced can be verified as sustainable,” Ogunbiyi said. “Sustainability is the language of the now and the future. A litre of palm oil without a story of its origin will no longer find a market.”

The interagency committee will oversee the development of a national roadmap and coordinate implementation across federal and state bodies, processors, cooperatives, and private sector players.

Kene Onukwube, Programme Manager for Solidaridad Nigeria, emphasized that the traceability system is a game-changer, designed not only to track palm oil but also to institutionalise responsible practices across the sector.

He pointed to successful pilots already rolled out in Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Enugu, and Kogi states, which demonstrated that traceability and transparency are achievable and scalable.

“With this reform, Nigeria can produce more, import less, and create a future where sustainable palm oil drives both our economy and our global reputation,” Onukwube said.

The initiative marks a significant stride in the government’s broader Renewed Hope Agenda and National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), placing agriculture at the core of economic diversification, food security, and climate resilience.