“Governor Eno Launches Super Oil Mills, ₦890m Boost for Women Cooperatives in Abak”

By mfoniso usoro

In Abak, Akwa Ibom State, something powerful is happening. For years, rural women bent over palm fruits, working by hand to squeeze out oil. It was slow, tiring, and often left them with little income.

Now, thanks to Governor Umo Eno’s new initiative, those same women are stepping into a different future. Modern oil mills have been commissioned in Oku Abak and across all 11 wards, each capable of processing up to 10 tonnes of palm fruits every single day.

With support from the World Bank’s Nigeria for Women Project, more than 39,000 women have joined cooperative clusters. Instead of struggling alone, they now work together, turning palm oil into real business.

And the Governor didn’t stop at machines. He has injected ₦890 million in revolving loans for women cooperatives, plus ₦450 million in counterpart funding to expand the programme statewide. That means more women can access credit, grow their businesses, and support their families.

For many, this is more than economics it’s dignity. One cooperative member shared: “We used to process oil with our bare hands. Today, we are entrepreneurs. Our children see us differently.”

This is the heart of the ARISE Agenda: not just development on paper, but transformation in people’s lives. In Abak, palm fruits are no longer just a crop they are a symbol of hope, resilience, and the power of women working together.