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Palm oil in Nigeria - 22nd October 2021

These people are making palm oil. Palm oil is important in Nigeria. It is in foods and face and body creams. Palm oil could give many people jobs.

In the past, Nigeria made a lot of palm oil. But now, it buys most palm oil from other countries. The government wants to make more palm oil in Nigeria.

The banks are helping palm oil producers. Graham Hefer explains.

Graham Hefer: "We’ve been privileged enough to, to get a loan, it has certainly helped us, it has, it has helped us to develop our new extension."

Hefer works for Okomu Oil, a big palm oil company. But 70 percent of palm oil in Nigeria comes from small companies.

Small companies need help to make more oil. But they aren’t getting help from the banks.

Micah Ojo is a palm oil farmer. He tells us about the problem.

Micah Ojo: "At the end of the day after we filled in forms, whatever we did, at the end of the day the loan never came to us. It does not come down to the real local farmers, that is the problem we are facing."

Many people don't like palm oil companies. They cut down trees. Some companies don’t look after their workers. But Ojo says they give people jobs and can help local people.

Micah Ojo: "We need the government to come to our aid to assist us so that we can also give back to society by employing more workers then they can feed their families and others."