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Thor Explorations Limited, through its Nigerian subsidiary, Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL), has provided 10 cassava and oil palm processing plants to host communities in Osun State to boost agricultural businesses, improve local livelihoods and create economic opportunities.
The initiative, which covers Imogbara, Odo-Ijesha and Iperindo communities, combines a 50 per cent equipment subsidy with a hire-purchase arrangement to help local processors acquire modern equipment and expand their businesses.
The project comprises six oil palm processing plants and four cassava processing plants allocated to selected beneficiaries across the three communities.
Under the allocation, Iperindo received two oil palm plants and two cassava plants, while Imogbara and Odo-Ijesha each received two oil palm plants and one cassava plant.
Thor said the initiative was designed to address the challenges faced by local processors who rely on labour-intensive methods that limit production, increase processing time and reduce potential earnings.
Each oil palm processing plant comprises a vertical palm fruit debuncher and a diesel-powered automatic presser. The debunchers can process between 800 and 1,000 kilogrammes of palm fruit per hour, reducing the manual effort required to separate the fruits from their bunches.
The cassava processing plants are equipped with graters, manual pressers fitted with 32-tonne jacks and fryers for garri production.
Each grater can process up to 500 kilogrammes of cassava per hour, while the pressers remove excess water from grated cassava before further processing.
The company said the equipment would reduce strenuous manual work, improve processing efficiency and consistency, and enable beneficiaries to handle larger volumes of agricultural produce.
The subsidy and hire-purchase arrangement is also intended to make the equipment more affordable while encouraging business ownership, accountability and long-term maintenance.
Thor said agriculture remained an important source of livelihood in its host communities, adding that improved processing capacity would help local entrepreneurs build stronger businesses and participate more effectively in agricultural value chains.
Beyond the direct benefits to processors, the company expects the project to stimulate economic activities in transportation, trading and distribution, while improving product quality and creating opportunities for related local services.
The initiative forms part of Thor’s wider community investment programme implemented through SROL, which also covers women’s enterprise, education and livelihood restoration.
The company said the intervention reflected its commitment to strengthening local economies and creating sustainable livelihood opportunities in communities surrounding its Segilola Gold Mine.
