Business
Oil Palm Exports To Yield $88bn …-Agric Minister
The Federal Government said yesterday that it was targeting
$8 billion revenue from palm oil export under the Agriculture Transformation
Agenda (ATA).
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Akinwumi
Adesina, announced the plan in Abuja at
the signing of the agreement for Estate Participation in the Oil Palm Nursery
and Field planting activity.
The minister explained that the country would have achieved
the target if it had made use of its oil palm industry in 1961.
“Nigeria used to be the largest exporter of palm oil in the
1960s until Malaysia came here and got its improved palm nuts from Nigeria.
“Now Malaysia makes $18 billion from oil palm export. We
want to get back to when palm oil used to be the mainstay of our economy,’’
Adesina said.
He said the situation changed following the anomaly caused
by the discovery of crude oil in commercial quantity in the 1970s.
The minister said Nigeria produced only 1.3 million tonnes
of vegetable oil and imported more than 350,000 tonnes of vegetable oil
annually.
He said the business cost the country $500 million in
foreign exchange and described the situation as unacceptable.
Adesina said that President Goodluck Jonathan under ATA had
taken advantage of the palm oil industry, which contributed 72 per cent of the
nation’s vegetable oil.
He said the ministry planned to support the production of
240,000 hectares of oil palm in the next three years through smallholder
farmers and oil palm estates.
Adesina said that the ministry had set a target of raising
nine million improved sprouted nuts into mature seedlings for the establishment
of 60,000 hectares by 2013.
The minister said that the estate activity was a
public-private partnership in which the ministry had provided free improved
nuts for the palm estates.
“The estates are required to plant and nurse the nuts for
the next 10 to 12 months and thereafter transplant to their own plantations by August
2013,’’ Adesina said.
He said that the idea to provide improved nuts for the
estates was based on its high yielding capacity estimated at over 21 tonnes per
hectare.
Managing Director of Wilbali Investment Ltd, Mrs Wilma
Aguele, on behalf of the palm oil
estates, commended the ministry for its initiative.
She promised that the ministry would not regret selecting
them as pioneer pilot groups to benefit from the initiative.
In his remark, the Minister of State for Agriculture and
Rural Development, Alhaji Bukar Tijani,
stressed that Jonathan was determined to bring back the days when palm
oil was one of the main contributors to the economy.
He said the ministry would provide the necessary income for
smallholder farmers in palm oil production.
He urged the 18 palm oil estates to go beyond the targeted
$8 billion.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday said 33 banks have met new minimum capital requirements under its recapitalisation programme, raising a combined N4.65 trillion to strengthen the financial system.
The apex bank disclosed this in a statement marking the end of the exercise, which commenced in March 2024 and drew participation from domestic and foreign investors.
The statement was jointly signed by the Director of Banking Supervision, Olubukola Akinwunmi, and the Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
The statement said “Over the 24-month period, Nigerian banks raised a total of N4.65tn in new capital, strengthening the resilience of the financial system and enhancing its capacity to support the economy.”
The regulator said local investors accounted for 72.55 per cent of the funds, while international investors contributed 27.45 per cent, reflecting continued confidence in the sector.
Commenting on the outcome, the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, said in the statement, “The recapitalisation programme has strengthened the capital base of Nigerian banks, reinforcing the resilience of the financial system and ensuring it is well-positioned to support economic growth and withstand domestic and external shocks.”
It added that while 33 banks have complied with the new thresholds, a few others are still undergoing regulatory and legal processes.
The statement noted, “The CBN confirms that 33 banks have met the revised minimum capital requirements established under the programme.
“A limited number of institutions remain subject to ongoing regulatory and judicial processes, which are being addressed through established supervisory and legal frameworks.
“All banks remain fully operational, ensuring continued access to banking services for customers.”
The apex bank stressed that the exercise was executed without disrupting banking operations, ensuring uninterrupted access to services nationwide.
It further stated that key prudential indicators have improved, particularly capital adequacy ratios, which remain above global Basel benchmarks.
The minimum ratios were set at 10 per cent for regional and national banks and 15 per cent for banks with international licences.
The bank also said the recapitalisation coincided with a gradual exit from regulatory forbearance, a move it said improved asset quality, strengthened balance sheet transparency, and enhanced overall stability.
To preserve these gains, the CBN said it has reinforced its risk-based supervision framework, mandating periodic stress tests and adequate capital buffers for banks.
It added that supervisory and prudential guidelines would be reviewed regularly to strengthen governance, risk management, and resilience across the sector.
“The successful completion of the programme establishes a stronger and more resilient banking system, better positioned to support lending, mobilise savings, and withstand domestic and global shocks,” the statement said.
The Tide learnt that foreign capital inflows into Nigeria’s banking sector rose by 93.25 per cent year-on-year to $13.53bn in 2025, up from $7.00bn recorded in 2024, amid the ongoing recapitalisation drive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Data from the National Bureau of Statistics capital importation report showed that the banking sector remained the dominant destination for foreign capital, accounting for $13.53bn of the total $23.22bn recorded in 2025, representing 58.26 per cent of total inflows, up from 56.81 per cent in 2024.
The surge reflects heightened investor interest in Nigerian banks as they raised fresh capital to meet new regulatory thresholds introduced by the apex bank, with industry-wide recapitalisation activities driving large-scale inflows across all quarters of the year.
However, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) recently raised concerns over weak credit flows to small businesses despite recent banking sector reforms.
The CPPE, led by a renowned economist, Dr Muda Yusuf, acknowledged that the ongoing bank recapitalisation exercise by the CBN has strengthened the financial system, but warned that the benefits have yet to translate into meaningful support for the real economy.
The facility will be disbursed through participating Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which will in turn extend the loans to their customers, particularly SMEs, as they directly interface with businesses at the grassroots level.
The Executive Director of COMCIN, Mr. Micheal Ogbaa who represented the Chairman, Dr. Iredele Oyedele (FCA, FCCA), said the initiative is designed to strengthen micro-lending institutions and expand access to finance for grassroots entrepreneurs, particularly women and youths in the informal sector.
Ogbaa explained that COMCIN does not lend directly to individuals but works through its network of microfinance and cooperative institutions, which in turn provide loans to end users.
“We came together to advocate for the microfinance ecosystem. Commercial banks often exclude people at the grassroots, but our members are positioned to reach them. This facility will empower them to do more,” he said.
He noted that the loan scheme offers low interest rates and flexible repayment plans, making it more accessible to small business owners.
According to him, about 90 percent of beneficiaries are expected to be women, who play a key role in sustaining families and driving economic activities at the local level.
“Our focus is on traders, service providers, and players in the informal sector. These are the real movers of the economy. By supporting them, we are strengthening families and contributing to national development,” he added.
Ogbaa disclosed that eligible SMEs with proven integrity and business track records could access up to N5 million each through participating micro-lending institutions. The rollout has commenced in Lagos and will extend to Abuja, Enugu, and other regions, including the South-West, South-East, and North-East.
He said 12 micro-lending institutions have already benefited from the scheme, while 85 applications are currently being processed under the pilot phase.
“Our target is to reach at least 100,000 SMEs nationwide. We are building a platform that connects funding partners with credible micro-lending institutions, creating a reliable channel for financial inclusion,” Ogbaa said.
He added that COMCIN is also working to attract larger funding pools from development finance institutions and private investors, noting that successful implementation of the pilot phase would boost confidence and unlock more capital for SMEs.
“We have seen encouraging testimonies from early beneficiaries. As we demonstrate transparency and efficiency, more institutions will be willing to channel funds through us,” he said.
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