The National Palm Produce Association of Nigeria (NPPAN) has announced that the Federal Government is on the brink of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Malaysian Government to improve palm biomass development in Nigeria.
Ambassador Alphosus Inyang, the President of NPPAN, made the announcement during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Biomass is regarded as agricultural waste, standing as an untapped resource brimming with vast economic potential. The primary objective is to convert this waste into wealth, with NPPAN strategically collaborating with Malaysian counterparts to emulate Malaysia’s success in the palm biomass industry on Nigerian soil.
Sharing the exciting news, Inyang noted the substantial economic impact that the development of palm biomass could bring to Nigeria including its potential contribution of $10 billion to the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP) within four years, accompanied by the creation of over five million jobs in five years.
He highlighted Nigeria’s considerable annual generation of agricultural waste, emphasizing that the MoU would empower the country to harness these waste materials for various industrial purposes.
Key Highlights and Applications of Palm Biomass:
1. Diverse applications, including the production of industrial goods, electricity generation, medicine, fertilizer, and more, are anticipated for palm biomass.
2. Environmental benefits were stressed by Inyang, encompassing potential carbon credit gains, forest preservation, conservation efforts, and job creation.
3. The largely unexplored resource of the palm tree, with its 90% biomass and 10% palm oil composition, opens avenues for repurposing various parts of the tree currently discarded as waste. These include activities such as electricity generation, furniture material production, organic fertilizer manufacturing, and medicinal applications.
4. NPPAN is actively collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment to craft a comprehensive National Biomass Master Plan for Nigeria.
5. The National Biomass Master Plan, expected to be finalized by June, will serve as a foundational policy document guiding the implementation of palm biomass initiatives in the country. Inyang urged the Ministry of Industry to play a facilitating role in expediting the development of this critical master plan, poised to steer the sustainable utilization of palm biomass resources in Nigeria.
