Enugu United Palm Products Ltd (UPPL), a public-private partnership between Pragmatic Palms Limited and the Enugu State Government, has commenced commercial production of palm oil for the Nigerian market. The company's Managing Director, Prof. George Nwangwu, disclosed this when he led other directors to Gov. Peter Mbah at the Government House, Enugu, on Monday.
Nwangwu said the visit was to brief Mbah on the company's progress since it began operations two years ago. The managing director said the firm planned to expand into refined products and establish a new industrial complex. He disclosed that the company’s palm oil brand, Enugu Vegetable Oil Product (EVOP), had been launched and was already available in open markets and supermarkets across Nigeria, with sachet packaging expected to hit the market within two weeks.
Nwangwu explained that the EVOP name was chosen to connect the product with the region’s agricultural and industrial heritage, particularly the former AVOP vegetable oil brand produced in Nachi, Udi Council Area of the state. “We chose the name EVOP to make sure that we keep in touch with our historical foundation. Some of us who are old enough would remember AVOP vegetable oil being bottled in Nachi, Udi. We feel that this is the product of our people, and we had to connect with our historical beginnings,” he said.
According to him, the company’s objective is to make the product accessible to households across Nigeria while maintaining strict standards of quality, natural production and traceability. The company is also investing $2.2 million in a refinery that would process Crude Palm Oil into olein and stearin, while refining palm kernel oil.
Responding, Gov Mbah described the partnership as a model worthy of emulation and a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to reactivating dormant government assets. He said he supports the company’s plan to list on the Nigerian stock market within four years.
The winners: Enugu United Palm Products Ltd, which has begun commercial production; and the Enugu State Government, which has revived a dormant asset. The losers: imported palm oil suppliers, who face competition; and the Nigerian public, who may benefit from locally produced palm oil.
Bottom Line: Enugu is producing palm oil again. The EVOP brand is on the shelves. The question is whether the company can compete with imported products and scale its operations.