Akwa Ibom Launches Oil Palm Revolution, Distributes 620,000 Seedlings To Farmers

The Akwa Ibom State Government has launched a major agricultural expansion drive under its Oil Palm Revolution Project, distributing 620,000 oil palm seedlings to farmers across the state in a bid to boost food production, create wealth and strengthen the non-oil economy.

Governor Umo Eno inaugurated the programme on Thursday in Uyo, describing it as a key component of his administration’s ARISE Agenda focused on agricultural transformation and economic empowerment.

He said the first phase of the initiative would see the distribution of 620,000 seedlings to selected beneficiaries drawn from across the 31 local government areas of the state.

“It is also in furtherance of the government’s agriculture and food security drive,” Eno said.

The governor said the initiative was designed to restore the cultural and economic significance of oil palm in Akwa Ibom, while positioning the state as a major player in Nigeria’s oil palm industry.

“Oil palm is central to our identity and way of life, our administration is restoring this age long cultural and economic heritage,” he said.

Eno added that oil palm cultivation represents more than agriculture, describing it as a symbol of wealth, enterprise and community development.

“Oil palm in Akwa Ibom is more than a crop, and it is a symbol of wealth, heritage, enterprise, and community life,” he stated.

He disclosed that 500 farmers per local government area had been selected to participate in the programme, noting that the structure would ensure effective monitoring and accountability.

“This will ensure monitoring. It will also ensure that the exercise achieves its set objectives and goal,” he said.

Eno further explained that beneficiaries would begin harvesting within three years, adding that the programme was designed to create generational wealth.

“Three years from now, you will begin to harvest, and it will last from generation to generation. We are by this programme placing wealth in your hands to grow and prosper,” he said.

He urged residents to fully embrace the initiative as a sustainable path to economic empowerment and prosperity.

In a goodwill message, the Executive Director of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR), Dr Gold Isona, commended the state government’s commitment to agricultural development.

He said the Eno administration had demonstrated strong political will in using agriculture to drive job creation, wealth generation and sustainable growth.

The Oil Palm Revolution Project is expected to significantly expand cultivation across the state, strengthen the agricultural value chain and boost Akwa Ibom’s non-oil revenue base.