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The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has said Nigeria could save about $2.1 billion in foreign exchange annually through its greenfield sugar projects under its 10-year sugar self-sufficiency programme.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of NSDC, Mr Kamar Bakrin, said the programme was also projected to create 110,000 direct and indirect jobs.
Bakrin disclosed this during a presentation to the new leadership of the Commerce and Industry Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CICAN), in Abuja .
He said the project would improve the livelihoods of more than one million people across the value chain and cut annual greenhouse gas emissions by about two million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Bakrin explained that the 10 greenfield projects have progressed beyond the conceptual stage, with credible promoters identified for all 10 projects.
“143,478 hectares of land secured, 55,500 tonnes of cane per day (TCD) in planned milling capacity, integrated production design, with each estate configured to produce sugar, ethanol, and power.
“To ensure the projects meet bankability standards, all 10 are undergoing independent technical reviews,” he said.
Bakrin said the $7.1 billion programme, spanning 10 years, aimed to raise Nigeria’s annual sugar production to more than two million metric tonnes, exceeding the country’s current domestic demand of about 1.8 million metric tonnes.
The Executive Secretary said the greenfield projects represented one of three key interventions underpinning the programme.
He said the other two focus on optimising existing estates, accelerating expansion by incumbent operators and the three interventions were expected to close the domestic sugar production gap.
“The interventions are existing estates: approximately 100,000 metric tonnes of sugar annually, incumbent operators,1.22 million metric tonnes annually.
“Two-thirds of current national demand, ten greenfield estates and 835,000 metric tonnes annually at full capacity.
“The 13 projects will produce more than 2 million metric tonnes of sugar annually, exceeding current domestic demand,” he said.
According to him, these interventions cover 13 projects design to boost domestic production, reduce reliance on sugar imports and strengthen the country’s sugar value chain.
“Beyond reducing foreign exchange expenditure, the programme is projected to create jobs, stimulate economic activities in host communities and improve livelihoods across the sugar value chain,” he said.
He said the council also projected that the programme could increase the gross domestic product of host communities by more than 100 per cent over 10 years.
He said it would also reduce emissions by about two million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent annually.
Bakrin said the programme targets into measurable outcomes through expanded production, increased investment and effective monitoring of project performance.
Bakrin said the council was moving from policy commitments to measurable implementation, with the performance of sugar estates to be monitored physically and through satellite technology.
He explained that the council was pursuing a comprehensive strategy to achieve sugar self-sufficiency through increased production, new investments and improved productivity.
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