By Dipo Olowookere
A deal for the supply and installation of a pasta processing plant in Nigeria has been sealed between BUA Group and FAVA Spa of Italy.
The agreement between both organisations will require the Italian company to build a pasta processing factory for its Nigerian counterpart in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, with a total capacity of 720 tonnes per day of pasta.
According to the BUA Group, one of Africa’s leading foods and manufacturing conglomerate, the facility will be done across five lines and would be completed next year.
The company stated that when completed in 2021, the new plant will increase the total capacity of the firm and will make BUA become the second-largest pasta producer in Nigeria.
Pasta is one of the food items consumed by a large number of people in Nigeria and the product is in high demand, especially because of the rising price of rice, a popular staple food in the country.
BUA Group has very stiff competition in the market segment, including from Dangote, Flour Mills of Nigeria (makers of Golden Penny), Olam International (makers of Crown Premium Pasta), amongst others.
At the signing ceremony of the deal with the Italian coy on Friday, the Chairman of BUA Group, Mr Abdul Samad Rabiu, expressed his excitement for the development, saying it would expand the market share of the company in the pasta business.
According to him, this new plant will complement BUA Group’s already existing 720 tonnes/day pasta processing plant in Port Harcourt, Nigeria bringing BUA’s total installed pasta processing capacity to 1,440 tonnes per day across 10 lines by the end of 2021.
“We are excited to work with FAVA for the supply and installation of our newest 720 tonnes/day pasta processing plant in Port Harcourt, Nigeria to complement the existing five lines of the same capacity we have in the same location.
“This project will drive our total installed capacity for Pasta Processing to 1,440 tonnes per day by 2021 to meet increasing demand as well as take advantage of our prime location in Port Harcourt to efficiently supply key markets in Nigeria as well as the immediate regional markets,” he said.
Mr Rabiu added that, “As the region’s population continues to rise, our continued investments across the agriculture and foods processing value chain will be crucial in helping to enhance food security in Nigeria and the region.
“Through this and other projects in the pipeline, we expect to become the leading player in the Flour Milling/Pasta Processing industry within a very short period.”
On his part, the Chairman of FAVA Spa, Mr Luigi Fava, commended BUA Group’s commitment to excellence and said FAVA was committed to delivering this project on schedule.
While thanking the Nigerian firm for the opportunity to work on the project, Mr Fava assured that his company will bring its unrivalled expertise and wealth of experience to bear in delivering one of the best and most advanced pasta processing plants in the world.
On its profile, FAVA Spa said it is one of the world’s leading companies for the production of pasta equipment. The organisation was founded in 1937 by Augusto Fava, who designed and patented the first machines capable of drying the product in continuous, making way for the introduction of automation in the pasta-making industry.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Modupe Gbadeyanka