Company unveils plans to invest $100m in Edo

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunora Foods Mr Charles Eghobamien, has revealed plans by his company to invest US$100 million in oil palm value chain and other crops in Edo.

The Sunora Chief Executive Officers revealed the plan during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Gov. Godwin Obaseki in Benin on Thursday.

“The second is a crush facility for Soya beans and other oil seed crops, and the third will be 12 hundred tons per day edible oil refinery.

“The fourth, a bottling line and a 15,000 bottle per hour bottling lines and the fifth will be an animal feeds processing facility,” he said.

Eghobamien explained that the investment would lead to the creation of 10,000 direct and 15,000 indirect jobs in Edo.

“We are ready to start in January 2024 as soon as we get the land concession, we will begin planting.

‘Currently, Edo state has one major palm oil refinery which is Presco oil Plc, Okomu oil does not refine as you all know.

“So, this will be a step in the right direction to bridge the gap in palm oil refinery, particularly in Edo state.

“Edo has a lot of palm oil plantation, it makes sense to have this opportunity to refine oil here to make it available not just for the local market but also for regional and later for the international market.

“The advantage there is our specialty. We understand how to refine oil to meet international standard.

“Sunora foods is a 30+years old entity trading in red oil and vegetable oil and marketed across the world, including the USA, Canada and China,” he added.

According to him, “that is why we have come to bring this here. Right now, we ae attracting foreign direct Investment of over US$100 million into this venture in Edo state.

Also speaking, Gov. Obaseki, while congratulating Sunora foods, said Edo government had always supported entrepreneurs and other business groups.

Obaseki implored them to be very diligent and also manage their expansion well, adding that he trusted the company to bring on board their wealth of experience.

“As a government, we will continue to create the enabling environment for your investment to thrive, safe and to obtain the level of returns that you expected to sustain the investment,” Obaseki said.

Mrs Itohan Eribo, the Acting Managing Director, Edo State Skills Development Agency (Edojobs), said that the agency was created by the state government to create employment for the people.

“This is one of the ways we are promoting job creation.

“When this partnership comes to reality, it will attract over 10,000 jobs to Edo people because of the scope.