By Isaac Mission 

Enugu United Palm Products Limited (UPPL) has commenced commercial production of palm oil following the revival of three previously abandoned palm plantations across Enugu State.

The company, a partnership between Pragmatic Palms Limited and the Enugu State Government, also plans to invest about $2.2 million in a refinery and new industrial complex as it expands its palm oil processing operations.

UPPL Managing Director, Prof. George Nwangwu, disclosed this while leading the company’s directors to a meeting with Governor Peter Mbah to provide an update on its activities since operations began two years ago.

According to Nwangwu, the company has brought plantations at Ibite-Olo, Umulokpa and Ugwu-Oba back into productive use. The plantations are located in Ezeagu, Uzo-Uwani and Oji River Local Government Areas respectively.

He said the plantations were largely overgrown and unproductive when UPPL took control of them, prompting the company to clear the land, prune existing trees and commence large-scale replanting.

Nwangwu said more than 1,000 hectares have so far been replanted, with plans to progressively replace the older palm trees across the entire plantation.

Beyond cultivation, the company has begun processing its harvest locally through installed mills, with the management placing greater emphasis on value addition and improved product quality.

“Planting alone is no longer enough. We have to process what we produce and add value,” Nwangwu explained, noting that the company had significantly increased the quality and quantity of its palm oil output.

He said the planned $2.2 million refinery would enable UPPL to process crude palm oil into products such as olein and stearin, while also refining palm kernel oil.

The company is equally developing an industrial complex where its production and processing activities will be further consolidated.

EVOP brand enters Nigerian market

Nwangwu disclosed that UPPL's palm oil has already entered the Nigerian market under the brand name EVOP, with the product currently available in markets and supermarkets across the country.

He added that sachet packaging was already underway and that sachet-sized EVOP palm oil was expected to reach consumers within two weeks.

The company chose the EVOP name as a reference to the region’s industrial history, particularly the former AVOP vegetable oil brand that was produced in Nachi, in present-day Udi Local Government Area.

Nwangwu said the new brand was intended to preserve that historical connection while introducing a modern product to the market.

He added that UPPL was targeting nationwide distribution while maintaining standards relating to product quality, natural production and traceability.

According to him, the company's operations are integrated from cultivation through harvesting, milling and packaging, while its products have received certification from relevant regulatory bodies, including NAFDAC and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.

He said consumers could also scan codes on the products to obtain information about their source, describing traceability as one of the company's major selling points.

Mbah backs expansion plans

Governor Peter Mbah commended the partnership between the state government and Pragmatic Palms Limited, describing the progress at UPPL as evidence of the potential of dormant government assets when properly managed.

Mbah said his administration remained committed to restoring abandoned assets and turning them into productive ventures capable of generating employment and expanding economic opportunities for residents.

The governor pledged that the state would meet its obligations under the partnership agreement and continue providing support to enable the company to expand.

He also backed UPPL's ambition to become publicly listed on the Nigerian stock market within four years.

Mbah said the state needed more businesses capable of attracting investment and creating substantial economic value, adding that the government would work with the company to achieve its expansion objectives.

He, however, stressed the need for transparent financial reporting and credible records as the company prepares for a possible stock market listing.

Government plans roads, security support

The governor disclosed that arrangements had been concluded to award contracts for two major road projects, including the Umumba Ndiagu-Ebenebe Road, which he said would improve access to the company's plantation areas.

He also directed that the headquarters of the state's Forest Guards be situated at Ibite-Olo, aimed at strengthening security around the plantations.

Mbah further assured UPPL that the government would address any encroachment on land acquired for the project.

He said the state government remained committed to providing the 6,700 hectares of land pledged under the partnership, while additional land would be secured in collaboration with host communities if the company proceeds with its long-term plan to expand its plantation coverage to 10,000 hectares.

The planned expansion, according to the company, is expected to create more jobs, stimulate economic activities in host communities and strengthen Enugu's agricultural value chain.