Farmer integration, $1bn investment and greenfield projects anchor self-sufficiency drive
The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has launched a sweeping reform agenda aimed at narrowing Nigeria’s sugar production shortfall, with a focus on integrating farmers, attracting large-scale investment and developing new sugar estates.
Speaking in an interview over the weekend, Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSDC, said the council has moved beyond policy formulation and is now firmly in the implementation phase of reforms designed to close the country’s sugar deficit.
“We are executing far-reaching reforms to eliminate Nigeria’s sugar production gap,” Bakrin said, noting that the initiative is built around practical, industry-driven solutions.
A central pillar of the reform programme is the Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme (SODP), which is designed to directly integrate smallholder farmers into the national sugar value chain.
Bakrin explained that the SODP represents the first coordinated national framework that deliberately connects farmers to the sugar industry in a structured and sustainable way.
Under the programme, sugarcane farmers are linked to licensed sugar processors through guaranteed offtake agreements, while also receiving improved seed cane, farm inputs, technical training and extension services.
“Farmers should not be producing sugarcane without market assurance or adequate support,” Bakrin said, adding that the model significantly reduces risk for growers and improves productivity across the value chain.
According to him, stakeholder response has been “overwhelmingly positive,” with strong participation already recorded, particularly in communities located near existing sugar estates.
Beyond farmer integration, the NSDC is anchoring its reform efforts on major capital investments. Bakrin disclosed that the council signed a $1 billion investment agreement with Chinese conglomerate SINOMACH last year, a deal he described as a turning point for Nigeria’s sugar industry.
“This partnership marks a real inflection point,” he said.
The investment is expected to unlock capacity to produce up to 500,000 metric tonnes of sugar annually, while bringing about 75,000 hectares of land under sugarcane cultivation. Bakrin noted that the project would help cut sugar imports, conserve foreign exchange and create jobs across farming, processing and logistics.
The NSDC is also pursuing greenfield sugar projects as part of its strategy to close the domestic supply gap. Bakrin said the council has signed memoranda of understanding with four greenfield promoters, which are projected to add about 400,000 metric tonnes to Nigeria’s annual sugar output once fully operational.
“Greenfield projects are absolutely critical to achieving domestic production targets,” he said.
Addressing input constraints, Bakrin revealed that the council has established dedicated seedcane farms and is deploying modern bud-chip technology through the Nigeria Sugar Institute.
“This technology allows faster multiplication of planting materials and shortens project development timelines by between 12 and 18 months,” he said.
Bakrin concluded that the ongoing reforms place Nigeria on a credible and sustainable path toward long-term self-sufficiency in sugar production, with wide-ranging benefits for the economy and rural communities.
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