The World Coalition of Oil Palm Smallholders (WCOPS) has unanimously elected the President of the National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN), Amb. Inyang, as Chairman of its General Assembly, the highest decision-making organ of the organisation.

WCOPS was formed by the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC) and is supported by the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia, Solidaridad, the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), and global oil palm producers, with a mandate to promote the interests of smallholders worldwide.

Amb. Inyang, who was the Vice President for Africa and the Middle East of the coalition, was elected alongside Dr Gulat Manurung of Indonesia, who emerged as President; Dr Napoleon Ningkos of Malaysia, Vice President for Asia and Europe; Mr Tuan Haji Azimi Bin Hassan of Malaysia, Vice President for Asia, the Pacific and Oceania; and Mr Allan of Honduras, Vice President for the Americas.

Dr Djono Albar Burhan of Indonesia was elected Executive Director, while Dr Paul Amaning of Ghana was appointed Director of Digitalisation and Innovation.

About 400 delegates from across the globe attended the General Meeting of the coalition, held in Indonesia’s new capital city, East Kalimantan, during the International Oil Palm Smallholders Forum.

The meeting attracted high-level participation from CPOPC, RSPO, Solidaridad, the Indonesia Palm Oil Association (IPOA), the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB), the Malaysian Palm Oil Council (MPOC), the Indonesia Oil Palm Plantations Fund Management Agency (BPDP), as well as the Indonesian and Malaysian governments.

The delegates were unanimous in their resolve to fight for the rights and interests of more than 50 million smallholders globally.

Amb. Inyang, who has been championing the rights and interests of smallholders, is also Vice Chairman of the Technical Working Group for the Nigerian Oil Palm Development Strategy (2026–2050), Focal Person of CPOPC in Nigeria, an international resource person on oil palm, leader of the National Engagement Group on Palm Biomass Valorisation, and a speaker at various international oil palm events.

He pledged to represent Africa effectively in the coalition and ensure that the interests of the continent’s oil palm smallholders receive adequate attention.