Africa's palm oil gap

The continent produces 3.6 million tonnes of palm oil a year — and consumes roughly 9 million. The structural shortfall is filled by imports, mostly refined oil from Southeast Asia. Here's where each major producing country stands.

3.6M t

Total production

2024 — led by Nigeria (39%)

~1.2M t

Refined domestically

Most output sold as crude; refining is thin

~9M t

Total demand

Cooking oil, soap, cosmetics, industrial

−5.4M t

Continental shortfall

Filled by ~6.2M tonnes of imports (2024)

Production vs demand — top 10 producing countries

Thousand tonnes, 2024 estimates · bar width scaled to demand

Production (CPO) Of which refined Domestic demand + Surplus − Deficit

Full breakdown

Thousand tonnes, 2024 · refining estimates are approximate; many countries refine negligible volumes

Country	Production	Refined	Demand	Balance	% self-sufficient

Sources: IndexBox Africa Palm Oil Market Reports (2024–2026); USDA FAS; FAO; Presco/SIAT disclosures; MPOC. Production = crude palm oil output. Demand = domestic consumption (includes imported volumes). Refined = estimated volume processed into refined/fractionated oil domestically — a subset of production, not additional. Balance = production minus demand; negative = net importer. Figures are rounded estimates compiled Aug 2026; individual-country refining data is sparse and should be treated as indicative.

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