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The 10-year programme includes 10 new sugar estates, $5bn in debt financing and farmer-led cane production, targeting lower import dependence and 110,000 jobs.
NIGERIA – Nigeria has unveiled a US$7.1 billion, 10-year sugar investment programme aimed at increasing annual production beyond two million metric tonnes, saving $2.1 billion in foreign exchange annually and creating 110,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Led by the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), the programme combines 10 new sugar estates with expansion by existing operators and improved output from established mills. Nigeria currently consumes about 1.8 million tonnes of sugar annually, with more than 97% refined from imported raw sugar.
Speaking at a briefing organised by the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja, NSDC Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer Kamar Bakrin said the country had repeatedly announced production targets without achieving self-sufficiency.
“We import almost all the sugar we consume. Plants have been launched and relaunched. Targets have come and gone. I did not invite you here to add to that list. The diagnosis is done,” Bakrin said.
He added: “What is different today is that we’re no longer debating why this has been the case, and who is to blame, and what have you. There are four, and we have answers to each and every one of why we’re where we are.”
The programme requires US$5 billion in debt financing and US$2.1 billion in equity from project promoters and operators.
The proposed debt package comprises US$3 billion from export credit agencies, US$1.75 billion from development finance institutions and US$250 million from local development finance institutions.
Bakrin said conventional commercial loans were unsuitable for large-scale sugar projects because of high interest rates and short repayment periods.
The council has signed a US$1 billion agreement with China’s Sinomach covering engineering, construction and financing, with funding expected after financial close.
The NSDC is also working with the Bank of Industry on a ₦10 billion Sugar Projects Acceleration Fund to finance feasibility studies and prepare projects for investment.
The 10 proposed greenfield estates cover 143,478 hectares of secured land across eight states and are designed for milling capacity of 55,500 tonnes of cane daily. At full capacity, they are expected to produce 835,000 tonnes of sugar annually, alongside revenue from ethanol and electricity.
Existing operators are targeted to produce 1.22 million tonnes annually, while improved mill performance is expected to contribute another 100,000 tonnes.
To strengthen cane supply, the council is targeting 11,000 hectares of farmer-grown sugarcane, with 7,000 hectares identified alongside partners in Kwara, Niger and Adamawa.
The initiative could supply 880,000 tonnes of cane and generate 88,000 tonnes of sugar annually. Planting on the first 1,320 hectares is expected next year.
The council has established 222 hectares of seed-cane farms and plans another 122 hectares for the 2026/2027 planting season. It also reported training 95 professionals in 2026, including 80 certified in basic sugarcane agronomy.
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