Nigeria Emerges No 1 African Country Producing Palm Oil, Airlines Mull Product for Aviation Fuel

• These days, palm oil is a necessary component of many goods used daily, such as food, cosmetics, and even biofuels
• This reasonably priced, multipurpose vegetable oil has seen a remarkable rise in demand lately; hence it has created more jobs
• According to information from the World Agricultural Production, Nigeria leads the list of the top 10 African nations that produce palm oil

Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has over three years of experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market.

Palm oil is now an essential ingredient in many products we use on a daily basis, including food, cosmetics, and even biofuels.

The demand for this affordable, versatile vegetable oil has sharply increased recently.

However, palm oil production has also been connected to human rights violations and environmental harm.

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In spite of these reservations, palm oil production continues to be a significant sector in many nations, particularly those in Africa, creating jobs and fostering economic expansion.

Based on information from the World Agricultural Production, the following list is the list of the top 10 African nations that produce palm oil

Nigeria

With 1.4 million metric tons produced, Nigeria ranks first in Africa and as the world's fifth-largest producer of palm oil. The nation has a long history of producing palm oil, and its tropical environment makes it an ideal place to grow the crop.

Cote d'Ivoire

According to current estimates, this West African country produced 600,000 metric tons of palm oil. Palm oil is one of the nation's primary agricultural products, and the government is making investments to grow the sector.

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Cameroon

For many years, palm oil has been produced in Cameroon, a nation in West Africa. At 465,000 metric tons produced annually, it ranks as the 12th largest producer globally.

Ghana

With a comparatively tiny production of 300,000 metric tons, the country's palm oil industry is still developing. Nonetheless, efforts are being made to grow the business because the government has designated it as a priority sector for development.

Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa):

According to the most recent estimates, this nation produced 300,000 metric tons of palm oil. Inadequate infrastructure and political unpredictability have presented difficulties for the sector.

Sierra Leone

According to recent estimates, Sierra Leone produced 75,000 metric tons of palm oil. The government is supporting the industry, which has been expanding recently, to broaden the nation's economic base.

Angola

The most recent estimates place the country's palm oil production at 55,000 metric tons. The government is trying to promote the industry as a priority area, but it has experienced difficulties because of a lack of infrastructure and investment.

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Guinea

New estimates place the country's palm oil production at 50,000 metric tons. The industry has room to develop, and the government is pushing for it to boost exports and generate jobs.

Liberia

According to recent estimates, Liberia produced 45,000 metric tons of palm oil. The government is spending to expand this booming business.

Senegal

Senegal recently produced 14,000 metric tons of palm oil. Although the business is still in its infancy, the government is supporting it in an effort to lessen the nation's reliance on food imports.

Operators suggest palm oil as aviation fuel cost

Legit.ng reported that airline operators have said Nigeria is mature enough to find alternatives for aviation fuel, also known as JetAI, considering the high cost of imports.

The operators called on the Nigerian government Wednesday, October 18, 2023, in Abuja at a meeting on developing and using Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), Low Carbon Available Fuel, and other transparent fuel sources in Nigeria.

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Senegal becomes latest oil-producing country in Africa, set to rival Nigeria, others

Captain Roland Iyayi, who spoke on behalf of Airline Operators of Nigeria, said the country is in a better place to drive alternative fuel sources for the aviation industry by exploring palm oil.

Source: Legit.ng