Enugu United Palm Products, a public-private partnership between Pragmatic Palms Limited and the Enugu government, has begun commercial palm oil production for the Nigerian market.

Its managing director, George Nwangwu, disclosed this when he led other directors of the firm to Governor Peter Mbah at the Government House in Enugu on Monday.

Mr Nwangwu said the visit was to brief Mbah on the company’s progress since it began operations two years ago. He disclosed that the firm planned to expand into refined products and establish a new industrial complex.

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, Mr Nwangwu said.

Mr 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.

“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 stated.

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.

Mr Nwangwu said the company’s expansion was expected to contribute to job creation, local economic activity, and the development of the state’s agricultural value chain. He disclosed that the company was also investing $2.2 million in a refinery that would process crude palm oil into olein and stearin, while refining palm kernel oil.

The governor described the partnership as a model worthy of emulation and a demonstration of his administration’s commitment to reactivating dormant government assets. He assured the company that the state government would fulfil all its obligations under the partnership and provide the necessary support to enable UPPL to achieve its full potential.

(NAN)