Nigeria targets sugar self-sufficiency with $1bn investment plan

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has launched initiatives under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) 2.0 to achieve domestic sugar self-sufficiency and reduce the $1 billion annual expenditure on imports. The council aims to increase local production from the current consumption level of 1.8 million metric tonnes to a target of 2 million metric tonnes.

To support this, the NSDC is pursuing a $1 billion engineering, procurement, and construction-plus-finance agreement with China’s SINOMACH. Additionally, a N10 billion Sugar Project Acceleration Fund has been established in partnership with the Bank of Industry to finance feasibility studies and prepare bankable projects. The council is also engaging Afreximbank and the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to accelerate estate development.

To ensure accountability, the NSDC is tightening the Backward Integration Programme. This includes stricter requirements for companies seeking import quotas and the use of satellite imagery and field inspections to independently verify production activities, moving away from a reliance on self-reporting. The council intends to develop a broader bio-industrial ecosystem, utilizing sugarcane for sugar, ethanol, animal feed, and electricity.