Nigeria's Palm Oil Output Climbs to 1.57 Million Tonnes in 2025

Nigeria's palm oil production climbed to 1.57 million tonnes in 2025, reflecting steady growth over the past five years and reviving international interest in the country's ambition to reclaim a leading position in the global palm oil market.

The figures were disclosed by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) during a mission visit to Abuja, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

The council used the visit to reaffirm its commitment to expanding technical and policy cooperation with Nigeria in the areas of oil palm production, smallholder farmer development, and supply chain alignment.

The development signals renewed cooperation between Nigeria and major palm oil producing nations, even as the country continues to grapple with a domestic supply shortfall. It also reflects growing efforts to strengthen Africa's voice in global vegetable oils policy discussions.

Officials' Remarks

CPOPC Secretary-General Rizal Affandi Lukman said the engagement forms part of the council's broader goal of strengthening cooperation with African producers and supporting Nigeria's long-term palm oil strategy.

She described oil palm as indigenous to the West African region, noting that Nigeria was once a global leader in the sector, and stressed that the focus must now shift to building future competitiveness.

She said: "Together, producing countries can shape a stronger and more coordinated global voice — one that protects farmers' livelihoods, strengthens food security, and ensures balanced, development-oriented sustainability frameworks."

She added: "Recent data shows encouraging momentum. Nigeria's palm oil production increased from 1.28 million tonnes in 2020 to 1.57 million tonnes in 2025. At the same time, domestic consumption rose from 2.45 million tonnes to 2.61 million tonnes, creating a supply gap that continues to be filled through imports."

She affirmed that CPOPC is ready to support Nigeria in boosting domestic production, improving food security, and building a more competitive and sustainable palm oil value chain.

Further Insights

For his part, Dr Alfonsus Inyang, President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), said Nigeria would benefit significantly from full membership in CPOPC.

According to him, participation would provide access to improved technologies that could raise Nigeria's "oil extraction rate" for both palm oil and palm kernel oil.

He said full membership would open the door to capacity-building programmes for smallholder farmers, who account for the bulk of national production. He added that Nigeria could benefit from hybrid planting materials and technical support to improve crop yields.

He noted that stronger cooperation would boost knowledge-sharing and productivity across the value chain. He affirmed that deeper engagement with CPOPC could accelerate Nigeria's efforts to narrow its supply gap and strengthen the sector's competitiveness.

What You Should Know (Facts and Figures)

• Nigeria remains one of the largest palm oil producers in Africa, but has yet to achieve self-sufficiency in domestic supply.
• Rising consumption continues to outpace production, leaving a gap of more than a million tonnes covered through imports.
• Nigeria spends $600 million annually importing palm oil despite possessing the natural resources and historical expertise to produce it domestically.
• More than 80% of Nigeria's palm oil comes from smallholder farmers using outdated methods, resulting in low yields and fragmented value chains.
• Oil palm is indigenous to West Africa, and Nigeria was historically a leading global producer before losing its position to Southeast Asian nations.
• Smallholder farmers account for the majority of Nigeria's palm oil production, making productivity improvements central to the sector's growth.

Source: Nairametrics