By Chioma Obinna

Thor Explorations Limited, through its Nigerian subsidiary, Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL), has provided 10 mini cassava and oil palm processing plants to host communities in Osun State to boost agricultural productivity, strengthen local businesses and improve livelihoods.

The initiative, covering Imogbara, Odo-Ijesha and Iperindo communities, combines a 50 per cent equipment subsidy with a hire purchase arrangement to make modern processing equipment more accessible to local farmers and processors.

The project comprises six oil palm processing plants and four cassava processing plants allocated to selected beneficiaries across the three communities, with the equipment expected to reduce strenuous manual labour, increase production capacity and improve processing efficiency.

Thor said agriculture remained an important source of livelihood in its host communities, adding that improving access to productive equipment would help local processors build stronger businesses and participate more effectively in agricultural value chains.

“By helping local processors access better equipment, Thor supports their ability to build stronger businesses and participate more effectively in agricultural value chains,” the company said.

It added that its commitment to responsible mining included investing in productive opportunities capable of strengthening the local economy and supporting livelihoods over the long term.

Under the allocation arrangement, Iperindo received two oil palm processing plants and two cassava processing plants, while Imogbara and Odo-Ijesha each received two oil palm plants and one cassava plant.

Each oil palm processing plant comprises a vertical palm fruit debuncher and a diesel-powered automatic presser. The debunchers have a processing capacity of between 800 and 1,000 kilogrammes per hour and are designed to reduce the manual effort required to separate palm fruits from their bunches.

The automatic pressers mechanise the pressing stage, with the aim of improving efficiency and enabling beneficiaries to process larger quantities of palm fruit.

Similarly, each cassava processing plant consists of a grater, a manual presser fitted with a 32-tonne jack and a fryer for garri production.

The graters 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 combination of equipment was intended to reduce strenuous work, improve processing consistency and enable beneficiaries to handle larger volumes of produce.

Beyond the immediate benefits to processors, the initiative is expected to stimulate economic activity across transportation, trading and distribution, as increased processing capacity could create additional market opportunities and demand for related local services.

Thor said the project formed part of its wider community investment programme implemented through SROL, complementing existing initiatives in women’s enterprise, education and livelihood restoration.

The company said the intervention reflected its commitment to strengthening economic resilience and expanding opportunities in communities surrounding the Segilola Gold Mine.