Nigeria’s National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), yesterday, announced the signing of agreements with four operators to develop greenfield sugar projects that would collectively add 400,000 tonnes to yearly sugar production.
The deals marked the latest phase in an ambitious campaign to slash the country’s high sugar import bills and achieve domestic self-sufficiency, the council said.
The four operators will each develop 100,000-tonne facilities across Nigeria’s agricultural belts – Brent Sugar in Oyo state, Niger Foods in Niger state, Legacy Sugar in Adamawa state and UMZA in Bauchi state.
The geographic spread from Nigeria’s southwest to northeast reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage diverse agricultural conditions and distribute economic benefits across regions, a statement released by NSDC said.
The agreements, signed at NSDC’s Abuja headquarters, represent a significant scaling of Nigeria’s sugar development ambitions. Under the terms, the council will provide customised project development support and cover critical service costs to ensure the ventures achieve commercial viability.
The expansion builds on Nigeria’s increasingly aggressive approach to sugar sector development.
