Business
Delta Sets Up 3,000-Hectares Oil Palm Estate
Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, last Thursday commended the setting up of a 3,000-hectare oil palm plantation by a private investor to boost the state’s economy.
Okowa made the remark during the ground-breaking ceremony for the plantation and processing plant at Akwukwu-Igbo, Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state.
The investor is Norsworthy Farms and Allied Industries Limited, which is also setting up a palm oil refinery, palm kernel crushing plant and 10-tonne per hour palm oil mill.
Okowa said that the project would change the face of oil palm industry in the state and the country when operational.
He observed that with the oil palm investment, his administration’s drive for investors to come to the state was yielding results.
“I see this exercise as a good example of private sector participation in the economy.
“It is really ennobling when private sector organisations partner with government in the pursuit of sustainable development.
“There are many avenues through which the private sector and non-governmental organisations can partner to bring sustainable development to the doorsteps of the people.
“I am convinced that this is a major step forward in the development of viable business in the agriculture sector, which is a part of the key element of private sector participation in the development of our dear state.”
The governor promised the people of Akwukwu-Igbo that the road from the community to Ugbolu would be captured in the 2019 budget.
He appealed to the traditional rulers across the state to make land available to investors.
The Managing Director, Norsworthy Farms and Allied Industries Limited, Mr Gabriel Ugbechie, said that over N6 billion had been budgeted for the project.
Earlier, the Council Chairman, Mr Louis Ndukwe in his address, noted that oil palm played important roles in the development of Nigeria’s economy in the past. He added that it could do more to turn the economies of both the state and country around. He said that the sector’s value chain would bring about speedy development of the rural community and boost jobs and wealth creation for the people.
Our correspondent repots that the governor later unveiled the ground breaking plaque.
Credit to Nigeria’s private sector rose to N83.26 trillion in June 2026 from N81.04 trillion in May, signifying a positive balance of N2.22 trillion month-on-month.
Year-on-year, the figure represents a nine per cent increase compared with the N76.13 trillion recorded in June 2025. The latest figures come as the CBN continues to balance efforts to control inflation with the need to support economic growth and expand credit to businesses.
The CBN data shows that credit to Nigeria’s private sector increased by approximately 2.74 per cent month-on-month between May and June 2026. Also, the CBN data noted that credit to the government fell slightly to N40.03 trillion from N40.38 trillion. Other assets, net, dropped to N10.76 trillion from N12.63 trillion.
The credit surge signifies sustained growth in lending to businesses and other private-sector borrowers during the month. The rise in private sector credit was recorded alongside an increase in net domestic credit, despite declines in credit to government and other assets.
Further analysis of the report says that compared with June 2025, private sector credit rose by about N7.13 trillion yea-on-year but net domestic credit increased by approximately N1.87 trillion during the month.
The CBN’s relatively tight monetary policy stance notwithstanding, more banks still loaded funds to the private sector within the period. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) held its 306th meeting on July 20 and 21.
The Committee reviewed recent developments in the global and domestic economies, assessed emerging risks to the outlook and considered their implications for monetary policy and retained all rates.
The Committee decided to retain the Monetary Policy Rate at 26.5 per cent; the Standing Facilities Corridor around the MPR at +50/-450 basis points and retain the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) for Deposit Money Banks at 45.00 per cent, Merchant Banks at 16.00 per cent, and non-TSA public sector deposits at 75.00 per cent.
The MPC decision means that credit extension in the private sector will likely continue to rise because of rising confidence in the sector and calls by stakeholders for banks to invest in the private scetor instead of government securities.
