Oil palm: Stakeholders endorse Nigeria’s RSPO national interpretation plan

Stakeholders in the Nigerian oil palm supply chain have endorsed the national interpretation of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

RSPO requires palm oil producing countries to develop their respective national interpretation of the RSPO principles and criteria which stakeholders in the oil palm supply chain would be accessed and endorsed for RSPO certification.

For Nigeria oil palm firms to be able to sell at the international market, it must be certified by the Nigerian RSPO, which is a requirement for them.

“Within the first quarter of this year, Nigeria will have its own RSPO-national interpretation plan which will be used to access stakeholders in the oil palm industry for certification,” said Fatai Afolabi, facilitator, RSPO Initiative Nigeria, at the national consultative meeting of the oil palm supply chain.

Major stakeholders in the oil palm supply chain were represented- this includes growers, millers, processors, manufacturers, associations, financial sector government ministries at state and federal level.

“With this endorsement Nigeria is trying to take its place in the committee of nations. RSPO is a sustainable program ensuring that production of crude palm oil is done considerably and at a sustainable level,” said Olaguntoye Henry, national president, National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria.

“Currently, in Africa, only Ghana is RSPO certified. Once Nigeria is certified, the country can compete favourably at the international market,” he said.

Official figures in the oil palm sector show an estimated supply gap of about 1.7 million metric tonnes yearly, which the country is importing yearly to bridge the demand-supply gap.

But key players have begun to unveil their backward integration plans while some are undergoing expansion phases to make bride the demand-supply gap for the commodity in the country.

According to the Stakeholders in the palm oil supply chain, the RSPO national interpretation will help build sustainability in the country’s palm oil industry.