By Faridat Salifu
The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has signed agreements with four operators to develop large-scale sugarcane estates and processing plants that will produce a combined 400,000 tonnes of sugar annually.
The agreements were signed on August 11, 2025, at the NSDC headquarters in Abuja.
Each operator will develop a 100,000-tonne capacity facility in a different part of Nigeria’s agricultural belt—Brent Sugar in Oyo State, Niger Foods in Niger State, Legacy Sugar in Adamawa State, and UMZA in Bauchi State.
NSDC said the projects are designed to harness diverse agro-ecological zones, ensuring that sugarcane cultivation can thrive under different soil and climate conditions.
The initiative will involve the establishment of new cane fields, irrigation systems, feeder roads, and related agricultural infrastructure to support production.
The council will provide project development assistance and cover key service costs to help the ventures achieve commercial viability.
NSDC noted that sugarcane farming expansion is critical to reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported raw sugar, which currently dominates domestic supply.
Executive Secretary Kamar Bakrin said 2025 has been declared a year of “accelerated development” for sugar projects, with a focus on expanding the national cane cultivation area.
Bakrin said global market shifts now make domestic sugarcane production more commercially viable than in previous decades.
The projects are expected to create significant agricultural jobs, especially for farmers, field workers, and transport operators in rural communities.
NSDC added that the geographic spread will help spread agricultural benefits and reduce regional inequalities.
Challenges such as infrastructure gaps, financing constraints, and competition from subsidised imports remain, but the council said the coordinated approach increases the chance of success.
The projects align with the government’s broader agricultural policy to promote import substitution and local value addition in key commodities.
If completed, the estates could support Nigeria’s ambition to become a regional sugar supplier under the African Continental Free Trade Area.