NSDC Targets 2m Tonnes Local Sugar Production Under New Master Plan

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has unveiled plans to accelerate Nigeria’s journey to sugar self-sufficiency, with a target of producing about two million metric tonnes of sugar locally under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) 2.0.

NSDC Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr Kamar Bakrin, disclosed this when he received members of the Abuja Chapter of the Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.

Mr Bakrin described NSMP 2.0 as an “acceleration mandate” designed to compress Nigeria’s timeline to sugar self-sufficiency and reduce the country’s dependence on imported sugar.

Nigeria currently consumes about 1.8 million metric tonnes of sugar annually, while approximately $1 billion is spent on sugar imports each year.

The NSDC said increasing local production would help retain this value within the Nigerian economy while creating jobs, supporting rural development, saving foreign exchange and driving industrialisation.

Mr Bakrin said the council’s ambition goes beyond sugar production, noting that sugarcane can also support the production of ethanol, animal feed and electricity, thereby creating a broader bio-industrial ecosystem.

He identified governance and implementation as major challenges facing the sector, saying Nigeria has adequate policies but has struggled with effective execution.

The council is also strengthening the Backwards Integration Programme (BIP), noting that companies seeking import quotas must demonstrate genuine commitment to the integration programme, while major refiners are required to submit audited production commitments linked to their quotas.

He said the organisation plans to use satellite imagery and physical inspections to verify activities at project sites and enforce compliance.