Cross River Approves ₦355.31m for New Oil Palm Research Facility in Odukpani

News in Brief

— Cross River State has approved over ₦300 million for a new administrative, laboratory and staff accommodation complex for a NIFOR oil palm research outstation at Creek Town, Odukpani LGA.

— Governor Bassey Otu said the facility will support climate-resilient oil palm research, certified seedling production and youth agripreneurship as part of a wider push to modernise the state's agriculture sector.

Cross River State has approved ₦355.31 million for a research facility for the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research (NIFOR) to strengthen oil palm science in the state. The approval is for the construction of an administrative and laboratory complex, along with staff accommodation, for the institute’s outstation at Creek Town in Odukpani Local Government Area.

Cross River Governor Bassey Otu approved at a State Executive Council meeting, following a memorandum presented by the Commissioner for Agriculture and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo.

Why the Investment Matters

The new facility is expected to provide researchers with the infrastructure to develop improved and climate-resilient oil palm varieties, manage crop diseases, run specialised nurseries and promote modern agronomic practices. Officials say it will also support the production of certified, high-quality seedlings for farmers and investors across the state.

Governor Otu said the project reflects his administration's push to move agriculture beyond subsistence farming into a technology-driven sector.

“Cross River cannot fully realise its agricultural potential without investing in the science, technology and infrastructure that drive modern agriculture,” Otu said.

According to the state government, the Creek Town–Odukpani–Calabar corridor is well-suited to host a major agricultural research and innovation hub, serving farmers and investors across Cross River and the wider South-South region. The facility could encourage collaboration between research institutes, universities, development partners and private agribusinesses on mechanisation, climate-smart agriculture and disease control.

Beyond research, the state government said the investment should help de-risk oil palm plantation development and widen farmers' access to scientific expertise. Otu added that the project carries a youth employment angle, with plans for agricultural extension, vocational training and agripreneurship programmes.

“Our objective is not simply to construct another government facility. We are building an institution that will generate knowledge, support farmers, attract investors and create opportunities for our young people,” he said.

Part of a Wider Agriculture Push

The government said the NIFOR investment aligns with federal priorities on agricultural research, food security and climate-smart agriculture, and supports resolutions of the 47th National Council on Agriculture. It cited the state's agro-ecological conditions and land resources as giving it an advantage in developing the oil palm value chain.

Officials say the project should boost oil palm production, attract private investment into plantations and processing, create jobs and further position Cross River as an agricultural investment destination in the South-South.

The NIFOR facility approval comes shortly after a similar administrative and laboratory complex costing ₦525.3 million was approved for the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI) in July 2026. This shows the state government's renewed commitment to supporting the development of agricultural research institutes and public goods.

The approvals also sit within a larger push by the Otu administration, which earlier this month unveiled a package of public-private partnership projects worth about ₦70 billion and $1.075 billion across agriculture, energy, transport and other sectors, including a separate oil palm development project in Yala LGA and a rice value chain project spanning Calabar, Odukpani and Ogoja.