Olam Agri Opens $50m Soybean Processing Plant in Kwara, Introduces Mama’s Pride Soya Oil

News in brief:

-Olam Agri has commissioned a $50 million soybean crushing plant and feed milling facility in Ilorin.

-The project includes the launch of Mama’s Pride Soya Oil, produced locally to strengthen Nigeria’s edible oil and livestock feed value chains.

Olam Agri has commissioned a $50 million soybean crushing plant and feed milling facility in Ilorin, marking a major expansion of its operations in Nigeria’s food and agriculture sector.

The soybean crushing plant, described as the largest in sub-Saharan Africa, has a processing capacity of between 250,000 and 350,000 metric tonnes annually.

The new plant is expected to support local soybean production while supplying raw materials to the company’s feed milling operations and its subsidiary, Ruyat Oil.

Country Head and Managing Director of Olam Agri in Nigeria, Anil Nair, said the investment reflects the company’s commitment to strengthening agricultural value chains and supporting Nigeria’s economic growth.

He noted that the company will continue to invest in food safety, human capital development and agricultural productivity in alignment with the government’s policy agenda.

Company Launches Mama’s Pride Soya Oil

Alongside the commissioning of the facility, Olam Agri also launched Mama’s Pride Soya Oil, a refined cooking oil designed to meet the nutritional needs of Nigerian households. The product launch attracted trade partners and distributors from across the country.

Saurabh Kumar, Head of Edible Oil Processing at Olam Agri in Africa, described the product as an innovation tailored for Nigerian consumers.

According to him, the oil is produced locally using high-quality soybeans and is designed to provide reliable cooking performance and health benefits.

Kumar said the new cooking oil reflects the company’s long-standing investment in Nigeria’s food sector and builds on its presence across rice, wheat milling, animal feed and sesame businesses.

Bola Adeniji, the company's marketing head, also highlighted the need to promote authentic, healthy edible oil options in the Nigerian market.

He encouraged consumers and trade partners to support genuine brands and discourage the circulation of adulterated cooking oils.

According to Adeniji, Mama’s Pride Soya Oil is fortified with Vitamin A, Omega 3, and Omega 6, contains zero cholesterol and offers long-lasting frying performance.

The product is available nationwide in multiple packaging sizes, including PET bottles of 500ml, 1 litre and 2 litres, pouches of 350ml and 1 litre, and a 25-litre keg for commercial users.

Managing Director of the wheat milling business at Olam Agri, Nitin Mehta, described the launch as a significant milestone following more than a year of product research and development.

He expressed confidence that the product would gain strong market acceptance through the company’s distribution network and dealer partnerships.

Investment aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s food systems

Olam Agri said the investment reflects its integrated approach to agribusiness, which involves working closely with farmers, improving crop yields and processing agricultural commodities locally.

The company noted that initiatives such as the soybean processing plant and the launch of Mama’s Pride Soya Oil are part of its long-term commitment to strengthening Nigeria’s food systems, creating jobs and improving value chain productivity.