The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has declared 2025 a year of accelerated development for sugar projects across the country. This announcement was made by the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive of the NSDC, Mr. Kamar Bakrin, during meetings with potential investors in the sugar sector, reports This Day.
Representatives from Utham Sucrotech International, India, Niger Food Security Systems and Logistics Limited, and American West African Agro (AWAA) attended the meeting. Mr Bakrin assured the investors that the NSDC is committed to providing the necessary support to accelerate sugar project development, focusing on improving yields at sugar estates.
During discussions with Utham Sucrotech, Bakrin inquired about the sugar recovery rate from their work at Dangote Sugar Refinery. Utham assured him of a recovery rate of 12.3 per cent. The meeting also explored Utham’s involvement in the greenfield project in Niger State, a project being developed by AWAA, for which Utham will provide essential services, according to a statement by Bakrin’s media aide.
In a presentation to the NSDC, Utham’s Global Business Development Leader, Mr. Sanjiv Gulati, outlined the company’s ongoing projects in India, Europe, and Africa. He highlighted Utham’s ability to fabricate sugar-project equipment and noted that the company had achieved a 13 per cent sugar recovery rate. Gulati reassured the NSDC that Utham’s presence in Nigeria would enhance project development and contribute to growth in the sugar industry.
Financial expert Mr Flavio Castellari also contributed to the discussions, providing an overview of Brazil’s sugar industry and offering insights into funding strategies that could be applied in Nigeria.
Meanwhile, Niger Foods’ Executive Chairman, Mr Sammy Adigun, spoke about the financing arrangements for a large-scale 100,000-hectare sugar project in Niger State. He emphasized the role of sovereign and corporate guarantees in securing funding and highlighted the company’s achievements in corporate social responsibility.
The NSDC aims to achieve the goals of the second phase of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), which will require an estimated $3.5 billion investment across 200,000 to 250,000 hectares of suitable land. The plan targets the production of at least two million metric tons of sugar, 400 megawatts of electricity, and the creation of 110,000 jobs across the nation.
Bakrin stated that the upcoming launch of the plan aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production, promoting job creation, and advancing industrialization in Nigeria.
The NSDC team at the meetings included the Director of Strategy and Performance Management, Ms Edirin Akemu; Senior Adviser to the Executive Secretary, Mr Teslim Bello; Acting Director of Project Development and Investment Promotion, Mr Balarebe Ladan; and Head of the Project Development and Support Division, Mr John Adaga.
