By Helen Udo, Abuja -NIGERIA.
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, received the Secretary-General of the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries (CPOPC), Izzana Salleh, and her delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Abuja, to discuss Nigeria’s transition from observer status to full membership in the Council.
The strategic engagement highlighted the growing importance of palm oil diplomacy in global trade, sustainability, and economic development.
During the meeting, the Secretary-General explained that Nigeria’s observer status will expire at the end of the year and emphasized the need for early consultations toward full membership.
She outlined the Council’s role as a unified diplomatic platform for major producing countries including Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Honduras, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, noting that CPOPC advocates for producer interests in global forums and addresses regulatory challenges such as the EU Deforestation Regulation.
In a gesture of goodwill, the Council offered to waive Nigeria’s membership fees for two years upon transition to full membership.
The delegation also highlighted the Council’s sustainability framework, drawing from Indonesia’s ISPO and Malaysia’s MSPO certification systems to strengthen compliance, traceability, and smallholder empowerment among member states.
In his response, Ambassador Tuggar reaffirmed Nigeria’s recognition of palm oil as a strategic commodity central to food security, rural livelihoods, and economic diversification. He noted that Nigeria produces about 1.4 million metric tonnes annually against a consumption of 3 million tonnes, underscoring the government’s ambition to significantly scale production.
The meeting concluded with agreement to commence inter-ministerial consultations, particularly with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to formalize Nigeria’s pathway to membership. Both parties agreed that deeper cooperation within the CPOPC framework would strengthen Nigeria’s voice in global commodity diplomacy and advance sustainable palm oil production.
