Nigeria is exploring full membership in the Council of Palm Oil Producing Countries, moving beyond its current observer status, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Friday.
Spokesperson Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa said Foreign Minister Yusuf Maitama Tuggar met with the Council’s Secretary General, Izzana Salleh, and her delegation in Abuja to discuss the potential upgrade. Nigeria’s observer status is set to expire at the end of the year.
Salleh described the meeting as both a courtesy call and a policy discussion.
She said the Council, which includes Indonesia, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Honduras, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, provides a platform to address trade barriers, sustainability, and regulatory challenges, although it does not set production quotas.
She announced a two-year waiver of membership fees if Nigeria joins, noting the Council’s support for smallholders through sustainability certification systems like Indonesia’s ISPO and Malaysia’s MSPO.
Tuggar said Nigeria currently produces about 1.4 million metric tonnes of palm oil but consumes nearly 3 million metric tonnes annually.
He added that full membership would strengthen Nigeria’s voice in global commodity diplomacy and enhance cooperation on sustainability and market access.
The meeting concluded with plans for inter-ministerial consultations, particularly with the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, to formalize the country’s pathway to full membership.
