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Nigeria has secured a prominent leadership role in the international oils and fats landscape following the election of Amb. Alphonsus Inyang, President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), as the Chairman of the General Assembly of the World Coalition of Oil Palm Smallholders (WCOPS). The election took place during the coalition’s General Meeting in East Kalimantan, Indonesia, held in conjunction with the International Oil Palm Smallholders Forum, an event that drew over 400 delegates from the global industry.
This appointment places a Nigerian official at the forefront of the primary decision-making body of WCOPS, a global organisation dedicated to advocating for smallholder interests and advancing sustainable practices within the sector. The coalition was established under the auspices of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), with foundational support from the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia, as well as Solidaridad, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and other key stakeholders.
Ambassador Inyang transitions to this role after serving as the WCOPS Vice-President for Africa and the Middle East, bringing a wealth of advocacy experience and deep knowledge of Nigeria’s palm oil development strategy. The new leadership team also includes Indonesia's Dr. Gulat Manurung as President and Malaysia's Dr. Napoleon Ningkos as Vice-President for Asia and Europe.
Further appointments include Tuan Haji Azimi Bin Hassan of Malaysia as Vice-President for Asia, the Pacific, and Oceania, and Allan of Honduras as Vice-President for the Americas. The executive wing will be led by Dr. Djono Albar Burhan of Indonesia as Executive Director, with Dr. Paul Amaning of Ghana taking the role of Director of Digitalisation and Innovation.
The high-level meeting saw participation from major industry bodies, including the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the Indonesia Palm Oil Association, and Indonesia’s Palm Oil Plantations Fund Management Agency. Throughout the forum, attendees underscored the imperative of safeguarding the rights and economic stability of the more than 50 million smallholders who form the backbone of the global palm oil industry.
For the Nigerian sector, Inyang’s chairmanship offers a strategic platform to project the concerns of local producers into international policy debates regarding market access, smallholder welfare, and sustainable production standards. In addition to his leadership at NPPAN, Inyang currently serves as Vice-Chairman of the Technical Working Group on the Nigerian Oil Palm Development Strategy 2026–2050 and acts as the CPOPC’s focal point in Nigeria.
Source: New Telegraph