By Abdul-Kadir Abdullah
The Edo State Government in collaboration with IDH (Sustainable Trade Initiative) Netherlands and Okomu Oil Palm Company has reaffirmed its efforts to transform oil palm development into a sustainable and environmentally conscious sector that would enhance the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder farmers in the State.
The assurances of the State Government were conveyed by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Sunday Osayande and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Ugbodu Golden, represented by the Head of Department, Agric Services, Mr. Ogunbo Osarobo David, at the launched of Phase Two of the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS) programme in Benin City.
Mr. Osayande stated that creating enabling environment is key for the sustainability of any initiative, citing example of chaos in an unsecured state. He appreciated the role of government policy in driving the process, beginning from profiling of farmers, sensitisation activities to create awareness, engagements with stakeholders, amongst others.
In a welcome address, the Country Director, IDH Nigeria, Prof. Eniola Fabusoro, said the phase Two of the programme, which is scheduled to run from 2024 to 2028, is an expansion of a highly successful first phase. He noted that the initial phase which was supported by the Edo State Government, IDH, and Okomu Oil Palm Company, empowered over 2,000 farmers, many of whom are part of the State’s agricultural success stories. He added that the second phase targets an ambitious reach of 5,000 smallholder farmers in the State.
Stakeholders highlighted the importance of building a climate-smart and sustainable oil palm ecosystem, emphasizing that the programme goes beyond economic benefits, to placing a strong focus on environmental conservation, biodiversity protection, and climate resilience. They asserted that millions of smallholders and workers across Nigeria depend on the palm oil industry for their livelihoods, maintaining that the sector remains a vital contributor to food security, job creation, and economic growth.
Edo State’s proactive involvement in initiatives like NISCOPS positions it as a leader in sustainable agricultural development in Nigeria. With the groundwork for Phase Two firmly laid, stakeholders expressed optimism that Edo State will continue to reap significant socio-economic and environmental benefits from the initiative, contributing to its place as a hub for oil palm production in West Africa.
The launch event was attended by stakeholders from the public and private sectors including the General Manager of Edo State Oil Palm Programme Office (ESOPP), Mr. Churchill Oboh; the Managing Director of the Edo State Investment Promotion Office (ESIPO), Solomon Ajayi, represented by the Team Lead, Business Development Support and Export, Abraham Ose Akhigbe; the Director of Wildlife Conservation and Ecotourism, Edo State Forestry Commission, representing the Chairman of the Forestry Commission and the Agricultural Coordinator and Outgrower Development Manager, Okomu Oil PLC, Billy Ghansah; among others.
Caption:
Stakeholders during the official launch of Phase Two of the National Initiatives for Sustainable and Climate-Smart Oil Palm Smallholders (NISCOPS) programme, a collaboration between the Edo State Government, IDH (The Sustainable Trade Initiative) Netherlands and Okomu Oil Palm Company which took place in Benin City on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
