The Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC) has promised to partner Nigeria to bridge its palm oil demand-supply gap and boost Nigeria’s production capacity through technical expertise support for locals to plant oil palms.

The Chief Executive Officer of MPOC, Ms Belvinder Sron, who stated this during the Malaysia Market Connect Conference 2026, held in Lagos, in partnership with the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) and the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST), with the theme: “Strengthening Partnerships with Nigeria’s Oils and Fats Industry,” described Nigeria as an important market in terms of palm oil trade.

“Last year we exported about 300,000 metric tonnes to Nigeria, that’s palm oil and palm-based products, and there’s still room to expand the exports of palm oil or palm products into this country. So it’s very interesting, and there’s huge potential here still in this market,” said Sron.

Speaking about building partnerships in this sector, she noted that the conference is one way of building partnerships, citing the event’s turnout.

“We have more than 130 people who have attended; many more wanted to attend. I am sure we will come back again. We had a lot of interesting questions, the paper presentations. People are interested in opening up more plantations here in Nigeria because you already planted oil palm in this country. Oil palm is not new to Nigeria; it’s not new to Africa. Oil palm came from West Africa; we commercialised it in our country. So there’s potential to increase the plantations here,” she said.

She argued that while there is need for expansion in oil palm plantations in Nigeria, the oil supply deficit needs to be covered. “You don’t have enough supply for oils and fats in Nigeria. You’ve got to import, and we want to partner with people here in Nigeria so that while you work towards meeting your domestic demand, we can provide you the supply because Malaysia provides a very consistent supply of palm oil and palm oil products, and we have been exporting to the African region,” she noted.

Speaking about what MPOC is bringing to help improve the lives of smallholders, she said that technical expertise will be provided for locals to plant oil palms.

In his remarks, the National Vice President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Prince David Iweta, said Nigeria needs to leverage the opportunity for partnership with MPOC to redirect its focus towards non-oil exports, particularly oil and fats sector.

Iweta referenced Nigeria’s erstwhile position as the world’s leading producer of palm oil, adding that the partnership is a wake-up call to a sleeping giant to reclaim its position. He added that Nigeria has taken up a challenge, as it has set achievable targets to cultivate 20 million hectares and generate 20 million jobs within 20 years to reclaim its position.

Speaking on how to remedy this issue, Iweta said: “We are taking advantage of this meeting, based on the theme, which I tag – Process of Strengthening Partnership between Nigeria, Malaysia, Oil and Palm Industries. Malaysia, through the MPOC by organising this initiative to strengthen and to partner with Nigeria, is to develop the market process between government to government and people to people on the oil palm, or the oil and fat. This is a welcome development, and it’s hoped that this would be a success because Malaysia is bringing unto the table the wealth of experience of over 200 years,” said Iweta.

In his presentation, the founder and Group Managing Director of Agrinexus International, Shermal Perera, said Africa’s growing population and rising consumption have made the continent the next major growth market for palm oil.

He said despite Nigeria ranking among the world’s top producers, Africa continues to rely heavily on imports because domestic production has failed to keep pace with demand.

“Africa’s output is set to climb steeply to 2040, with Nigeria anchoring that growth. Yet, today, demand still outran supply – a structural deficit bridged only by imports,” Perera said.

He explained that as western buyers tighten and Asia demand matures, Malaysian palm oil has pivoted decisively towards Africa and Nigeria sits at the heart of that shift. “Every tone Malaysia ships in is a tonne Nigeria could grow at home – exactly the gap a turnkey partnership is built to close.”

He noted that Malaysia has commenced supporting Nigeria’s local palm production with technical expertise, improved seedlings and training on sustainable practices.