Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, has inaugurated a palm fruit processing mill in Oku, Abak Local Government Area, under the Nigeria for Women Project (NFWP), as part of efforts to boost women’s economic empowerment and expand the state’s agro-industrial base.
A statement issued by the Government House Press Platform on Wednesday said the facility, which serves all 11 wards in Abak Local Government Area, has significantly increased its production capacity—from one drum of palm oil per day to eight drums.
Speaking through his deputy, Senator Akon Eyakenyi, Governor Eno expressed optimism that the improved capacity would position Akwa Ibom to begin exporting palm oil beyond the state and national borders.
“I am pleased to hear that this mill now produces eight drums of palm oil daily, compared to just one drum previously. This is a remarkable improvement. Very soon, Akwa Ibom will commence the exportation of palm oil to neighbouring states and beyond Nigeria,” the governor said.
He announced plans to support the women operating the mill with 10 tonnes of palm fruits for the next production cycle and directed the deployment of security personnel to safeguard the facility. The governor also assured the beneficiaries of improved electricity supply and access roads to enhance operations.
Governor Eno noted that although Akwa Ibom joined the World Bank-assisted NFWP later than some states, it has emerged as one of the best-performing participants in terms of outcomes and impact.
In her remarks, the Coordinator of the Office of the First Lady, Mrs Helen Obareki, described the project as the fulfilment of a long-held vision to economically empower women at the grassroots. She said the initiative aligned with the aspirations of the late Mrs Patience Umo Eno, who advocated the formation of women’s trade clusters to improve access to funding, skills and economic opportunities.
She commended the governor for his gender-inclusive policies and urged the women to utilise the facility responsibly to maximise its benefits.
Earlier, the Governor’s Delivery Adviser on the Nigeria for Women Project, Ms Ini Adiakpan, highlighted the project’s broader impact, noting that it provides training in financial management, leadership development, water, sanitation and hygiene, and the prevention of gender-based violence.
She praised Governor Eno for his commitment to the project’s successful implementation and acknowledged the World Bank for its funding support.
Also speaking, the State NFWP Coordinator, Mrs Ofonime Etuknwa, said the Federal Government-backed initiative was designed to enable women to transition from subsistence activities to large-scale palm oil production.
According to her, the project has helped beneficiaries move beyond petty trading, with women’s weekly savings increasing from as low as N100 to between N3,000 and N5,000. She added that the facility is jointly owned by about 200 women operating as a cooperative and is expected to generate significant dividends for members at the end of the year.
The palm fruit processing mill is equipped with mechanised systems that extract crude palm oil from fresh fruit bunches through processes including sterilisation, threshing, digestion, pressing and clarification, enabling efficient and large-scale production.
