The European Union (EU) has denied plans to ban palm oil importation from Nigeria.
Head of Cooperation, EU Delegation to Nigeria and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Kurt Cornelis, said this in Abuja on Thursday during a sensitisation workshop organised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) on the proposed ban of palm oil importation to the EU.
“It is not true that the EU was planning to ban palm oil importation to the union from Nigeria.
“We are not considering any ban on oil importation from the third world countries, we think there is some confusion somewhere,” he said.
Cornelis said that in June 30, the EU Parliament and Council reached an agreement on bio-fuel for renewable energy.
According to him, the renewable energy directive does not propose a ban on oil.
He said that the EU would focus on investment and partnership with banks in its next programme that would last for 10 years.
However, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Yewande Sadiku, said the commission was in receipt of a letter from the Foreign Affairs Ministry that the EU proposed to ban the importation of palm oil to the union.
Sadiku, represented by Ladi Katagum, said that the workshop was organised to address the issue.
She said that the objective of the commission was to encourage, promote and coordinate investment in the Nigerian economy.
According to her, the commission is expected to monitor all investment promotion activities, initiate and support measures to enhance the investment climate in Nigeria.
The National President, Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria, Hilary Uche said that the major problem in the country was lack of capacity building for small-scale farmers.
Uche called on the Federal Government to encourage development in the sector as it could create the highest job opportunity in the country.
He said that government needed to be involved in order to ensure standards in the production of palm oil.
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