Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Abuja, Nigeria — The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has announced a series of ambitious reforms aimed at closing Nigeria’s persistent sugar production gap and reducing heavy dependence on imports, signalling a strategic push to strengthen the country’s agricultural and industrial base. The reforms were outlined this weekend by Kamar Bakrin, the NSDC’s Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, in a comprehensive interview with journalists.
Bakrin said the council is transitioning from policy formulation to full‑scale implementation of initiatives designed to boost local sugarcane production and expand the domestic sugar industry. Central to these reforms is the integration of farmers into the value chain, large‑scale capital investment partnerships, and the acceleration of greenfield sugar projects.
A key element of the NSDC’s strategy is the Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme (SODP), which aims to forge direct and sustainable links between sugarcane farmers and licensed sugar processors. Under the programme, farmers receive quality seed cane, essential inputs, technical training and extension support, while processors are guaranteed offtake arrangements — a model designed to provide market certainty and encourage increased production at the grassroots level. Bakrin said the response from stakeholders has been “overwhelmingly positive,” particularly in communities near existing sugar estates where implementation can be rapidly scaled.
The NSDC boss emphasized that the outgrower framework departs from previous ad hoc efforts by establishing a structured national approach that supports both smallholder and commercial producers, reduces production risk and strengthens productivity across the sugar value chain.
Strategic investment partnerships feature prominently in the council’s reform agenda. In 2025, the NSDC signed a $1 billion investment agreement with Chinese conglomerate SINOMACH, which is expected to significantly expand Nigeria’s sugar production capacity. Under this partnership, it is projected that up to 500,000 metric tonnes of sugar could be produced annually and about 75,000 hectares of land brought under sugarcane cultivation, reducing reliance on imported sugar and conserving valuable foreign exchange.
In addition to the Chinese deal, Bakrin highlighted the importance of greenfield sugar projects as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s growth strategy in the sector. The council has recently signed memoranda of understanding with four greenfield promoters, which are expected to collectively add approximately 400,000 metric tonnes to annual domestic sugar production once fully operational. These projects — designed to combine extensive cane cultivation with modern processing facilities — are intended to harness agricultural potential across various regions and spur job creation, infrastructure development and economic growth.
Notably, one of the prospective projects, GNAL Sugar, backed by the Lee Group, is progressing in Taraba State, where engagement with the state government has advanced land access planning and technical groundwork for future cultivation and processing facilities.
Beyond production expansion, NSDC is also prioritizing capacity building and technical support through the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI), which Bakrin described as a national centre of excellence providing research, training and technical services to industry participants. The institute — formally commissioned in 2021 and based in Ilorin, Kwara State — houses specialised laboratories for seedcane multiplication, varietal development and applied research, helping to address long‑standing challenges related to access to quality planting materials. Its expanded role also includes regulatory, outreach and manpower development functions designed to support both sugar and ethanol value chains.
To further strengthen institutional capacity, the NSDC has restructured NSI’s governance framework with assistance from strategic partners, clarified operational roles, and invested in staff development. More than 60 institute personnel have received specialised training in areas ranging from laboratory instrumentation to project management, while new curricula and field‑to‑factory training programmes have been rolled out to support working estates and emerging sugar operations.
Industry analysts say these reforms reflect a broader policy shift aimed at transforming Nigeria’s sugar sector into a more competitive, self‑sufficient and export‑oriented industry. They note that effective implementation of farmer integration schemes, greenfield projects and institutional strengthening could significantly reduce the country’s dependence on imported sugar — which currently fills a large portion of domestic demand — and create substantial economic opportunities in rural and agro‑industrial communities.
However, observers also caution that sustained success will require careful coordination of land access, financing, regulatory frameworks and community engagement to ensure that new investments deliver on promised production targets and socio‑economic benefits.
As Nigeria pursues these reforms, stakeholders including farmers, private investors and government agencies will be watching closely to see whether the combination of structural programmes, investment partnerships and institutional capacity building can meaningfully narrow the sugar production gap and support long‑term agricultural development.
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