A retired Professor of Phytochemistry and Organic Chemistry at the University of Ibadan (UI), Professor Olusegun Ekundayo, has called for increased investment in research, innovation and human capacity development to unlock Nigeria’s potential in the essential oil industry.

Ekundayo, a foremost researcher in essential oils and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, made the call while delivering a plenary lecture titled, “Research, Innovation and Human Capacity Development for Advancing Nigeria’s Essential Oil Industry,” at the first national symposium of the Society of Essential Oil Distillers and Analysts (SEODA).

He said Nigeria was richly endowed with aromatic and medicinal plants capable of providing raw materials for a competitive essential oils industry, but noted that inadequate research investment, standardisation and quality assurance were among the challenges limiting the sector.

According to him, essential oils have applications in healthcare, cosmetics, food and beverages, agriculture, aromatherapy, preservation and other industries, while growing global demand for natural and environmentally friendly products presents significant opportunities for Nigeria.

He said essential oils were highly concentrated volatile compounds extracted from different parts of plants, including leaves, flowers, bark, roots, fruits and seeds, with biological properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and insecticidal activities.

Ekundayo said the development of the sector required collaboration among chemists, pharmacologists, microbiologists, agricultural scientists, food scientists and environmental scientists because essential oils research was inherently multidisciplinary.

He also called for stronger links between indigenous knowledge and modern scientific research, saying the scientific validation of traditional knowledge could preserve cultural heritage while creating economic opportunities for local communities.

The don identified variations in plant species, cultivation methods, harvesting periods, extraction techniques and storage conditions as factors affecting the quality and chemical composition of essential oils.

He, therefore, stressed the need for reliable analytical methods, comprehensive toxicological studies and clinical trials to establish the safety, efficacy, dosage and possible interactions of essential oil products.

Ekundayo also cautioned against excessive dependence on wild harvesting, urging stakeholders to embrace sustainable cultivation, biodiversity conservation, responsible harvesting and environmentally friendly extraction technologies.

He said Nigeria could leverage aromatic and medicinal plants such as lemongrass, eucalyptus, basil, ginger, clove, peppermint, scent leaf and citrus species to develop a competitive industry.

To achieve this, the retired don advocated the formulation of a National Essential Oils Development Policy to provide a coordinated framework for research, investment, production, regulation, quality assurance and export promotion.

He also proposed the establishment of a National Centre for Essential Oils Research and Innovation to serve as a hub for multidisciplinary research, technology development, product formulation, pilot-scale processing, quality assurance and collaboration between universities, research institutes and industry.

Ekundayo further called for increased funding for research and development through competitive research grants, industry-led research, patent development, commercialisation of research outputs, pilot production facilities and technology transfer initiatives.

He urged the government and private sector to invest in specialised training in aromatic plant cultivation, modern distillation technologies, analytical chemistry, quality assurance, product development, entrepreneurship and international marketing.

The don also called for affordable financing for farmers, processors, entrepreneurs and youth-led enterprises, as well as investment in modern distillation facilities, extraction laboratories, cosmetic manufacturing, pharmaceutical ingredient production and fragrance and flavour industries.

He said emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, metabolomics, biotechnology, nanotechnology, precision agriculture and advanced extraction techniques, could transform essential oils research and production in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Chairperson of SEODA, Professor Sherifat Adeyinka Aboaba, said the symposium marked a significant milestone in the society’s efforts to position Nigeria as a major player in the global essential oils industry.

Aboaba disclosed that SEODA was established in 2019 and had launched the first Compendium of Essential Oil Research in Nigeria, containing more than 400 abstracts from 20 contributors as a research resource for students, lecturers and industrialists.

She said Nigeria’s abundant aromatic and medicinal plant resources offered enormous opportunities for economic development, but lamented that the country’s participation in the global essential oils market remained relatively modest.

According to her, much of Nigeria’s natural wealth is either underutilised or exported with limited value addition.

She said the symposium, themed “Unlocking the Essential Oils Value Chain in Nigeria: Production and Commercialisation for Sustainable Economic Growth,” was designed to promote knowledge exchange, policy dialogue, networking and collaboration among stakeholders in the sector.

The event featured a keynote address, plenary lectures and parallel technical sessions.