Successful and sustainable crop based biodiesel programme in Nigeria through ecological optimisation and intersectoral policy realignment

Abstract Biofuel programmes are characterised with failures especially in Africa, including Nigeria. One of the major factors causing these failures is embarking on programmes that are not based on profound knowledge of the feedstock ecology. In Nigeria, biofuel feedstock land suitability maps that exist provided very low details regarding the suitability of the lands. Broadly, this research seeks to provide more robust workflow for producing biofuel crops land suitability maps with higher details. Thus, this review aims to collate information necessary for this robust spatial analysis. The article examines the production trends for oil palm and Jatropha as identified biodiesel crops in Nigeria. It then assesses the local demand for and processing of biodiesel and explored the ecological requirements of the crops. It also investigated the sustainability issues, identified some policy gaps and proffered a policy realignment strategy to ensure successful and sustainable biodiesel industry in the country. The review showed that though not without criticisms, the choice of oil palm and Jatropha for biodiesel production in Nigeria is appropriate. However, the potentials of these crops have not duly been exploited and Jatropha might have an edge due to the ecological advantages it presents. It is concluded here that the pathways to successful and sustainable biodiesel programme in Nigeria must give due consideration to cultivation sites optimisation based on the crops ecological requirements and the crops yields improvement. These must be supported by appropriate agronomic practices and processing technologies, informed business planning and policy realignment and effective policy enforcement.