Abubakarr Sesay, CEO of Agro-Palm Investment

From Struggles to Success: Abubakarr’s Palm Kernel Journey

Palm oil is one of Sierra Leone’s most important agricultural products. Beyond the oil itself, the palm-kernel is often seen as a by-product that holds untapped potential. By processing kernels into oil and other useful products, entrepreneurs are adding value, creating jobs, and reducing waste across communities.

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From Insight to Innovation

Abubakarr Kanu, CEO of Agro-Palm Investment and an enterprising agripreneur from Kenema City (52A Foindu Road), began his journey with a simple observation: his mother’s household produced large amounts of unused palm-kernel waste. Seeing opportunity where others saw waste, he envisioned turning this overlooked resource into valuable products such as soap, cooking oil, and cream. Building on his experience in the agricultural sector, Abubakarr launched Agro-Palm Investment in 2022, transforming palm-kernel nuts into a range of sustainable, high-demand products. Step by step, he has grown a small enterprise driven by innovation, determination, and the belief that local resources can power local prosperity.

Turning Waste into Wealth

Abubakarr refines palm-kernel oil for cooking under the brand Natile Oil, also using it to make skincare products like Vaseline and creams. The by-products Palm-kernel cake for animal feed, shells for firewood sold to companies like Juleks Manufacturing, and slush for traditional black soap turn what was once waste into income and livelihoods.

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Training, Growth, and Market Links

His early journey was tough, facing poor roads, limited power, little training, and only three staff. But through the ILO Opportunity Salone project (2023–2024), he received training in Business Model Canvas, Management Systems, and Marketing via the Aurora Foundation. With this support, he expanded his team to six, strengthened market links, and now produces 900 batters (1 batter = 4 gallons) of palm-kernel oil monthly.

Strengthening SME Linkages

Through Opportunity Salone, Abubakarr now does business-to-business (B2B) transactions with other small and medium- sized (SMEs) enterprises like SEDMO who is part of ILOs, Opportunity Salone project, he supplies him with the palm kernel oil, Selling the PKC to Bo Poultry Feed which is use for animal feed, and he purchases palm-kernel nuts from Imam Moiwa Palm Oil Plantation to fuel production who are all part of the Opportunity Salone project as SMEs.

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“What many see as waste is actually a valuable resource, ” Abubakarr proudly explains. “With the right knowledge and tools, palm kernel production can drive livelihoods and create jobs.”

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Making a Difference

Through partnerships across the value chain, Abubakarr is creating jobs, reducing waste, and keeping wealth within Sierra Leone. With plans to expand into Guinea and Liberia, his enterprise shows how resilience and innovation are transforming the palm oil sector.

By the Numbers

• Production: 900 batter per month (1 batter = 4 gallons of palm-kernel oil)

• Jobs Created: 3 → 6 (including women and youth)

• Support Received: Trainings in Business Model Canvas, Management Systems, and Marketing

• Markets: Local districts → Freetown, Guinea, and Liberia

• B2B Linkages:

• Supplies palm-kernel oil to SEDMO

• Sells PKC to Bo Poultry Feed for animal feed

• Purchases palm-kernel nuts from Imam Moiwa Palm Oil Plantation to fuel production