The National Sugar Development Council, NSCD, has achieved 3.5 million metric tonnes sufficiency in sugar refining capacity as against the consumption capacity of 1.7 million metric tonnes under its 10 year Nigeria Sugar Master Plan, NSMP phase 1.
The Executive Secretary NSDC, Mr Zacch Adedeji announced this during a media briefing in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
He said with the Phase 1 of the master plan which began in 2013 and reaching its crescendo in the first quarter of 2023, the Federal government approved Phase 2 of the policy, with actual implementation to begin 2023 through 2033.
According to him, “Our plan is not to import raw sugar at all in the next 10 years, our expectation is that by 2033 we would have achieved the real self sufficiency in both refining and actually growing the cane that we need to feed that refinery, going by the new phase approved for us we hope that by 2033 we would achieve by God’s grace self sufficiency in sugar production and also be able to export.”
Meanwhile, Mr Adedeji disclosed that two new investors are set to invest in the sugar sector.
“In a week or two from now, we shall invite you again to witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Nasarawa state Government and one of the investors and another between the Oyo state Government and the second investor.”
“All the necessary policy and technical guidelines have been concluded, these new investors would focus on the field and agricultural aspect of the NSMP.” He said.
The NSDC boss explained that next phase of activities would be anchored on verifiable data and innovation to ensure seamless procedures.
“Going forward, the annual raw sugar quota allocation to operators would be based on their performances in the outgoing year, we call on our operators to buckle up as the old order of allocating raw sugar quota based on size of the refinery has changed based on the approved NSMP Phase 2.”
“The NSMP isn’t about sugar production alone, we count largely on its ability to take millions of our people out of poverty, develop infrastructure and improve the economic status of communities hosting sugar projects.” Mr Adedeji added.
