Nigerian Government Unveils Palm Oil Processing Factory in Calabar

The Nigerian Government through the National Board of Technology Incubation, NBTI, has launched a 10-tonne per day Palm Oil Processing factory in Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, Southern Nigeria.

The processing factory established in collaboration with Kasuk community led by the traditional ruler, Ntoe Ededem Ayito, is an initiative of Edimentos Limited, a medium-scale business enterprise in Cross River State.

In a remark, the Manager of the Technology Incubation Centre (TIC) Calabar, Dr Agatha Efa disclosed that the plant has the capacity to produce 3,000 bottles of 1-litre oil palm in 72 hours.

Efa, who noted that Nigeria was the fifth largest global producer of oil palm with 970,000 metric tonnes annually, said that the TIC was set up by the Nigerian Government to develop entrepreneurs and boost the economy.

According to her, “Projects like this are reasons for the establishment of the Technology Incubation Centre in 1999. The goal here is to boost the economy of Nigeria and create employment opportunities that would breach the gap between the very rich and the poor. The completion of this plant is indeed a plus to Nigeria.”

Continuing she said, “We have never had something like this from a native of Cross River State. The factory is capable of producing 3,000 bottles of palm oil within three days. Presently, the annual palm oil demand in Nigeria stands at 2.5 million metric tonnes, whereas our local production is 1.25 million metric tonnes, leaving a gap of 1.25 million metric tonnes.

“So, this is more like a boost in production and an indication for more Nigerians to establish similar plants to meet local consumption”, she said.

Funding partners

Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer of Edimentos Limited and clan head of Kasuk community, Ntoe Ayito the Third said that the current equipment could be expanded with additional funding from partners for increased production.

Ayito stated, “We have a lot of oil palm in Cross River State. When the TIC was created, I took advantage of the centre to set up this factory to produce palm oil for export. This plant has the capacity for 10 tonnes daily. However, the raw materials are harvested from 150 hectares of plantation. We have the desire to seek raw materials from other farms as well as seek funding to expand our existing farms to feed the plant.

The traditional ruler enjoined youths to seek employment in the sector. He equally urged financial institutions to support small and medium-scale businesses to develop export capacity.

Emmanuel Ukoh