By Atoyebi Nike
The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, has called on Nigerian farmers and private sector stakeholders to invest in the booming sugar industry, valued at over $2 billion locally and positioned within a $10 billion regional market.
Speaking during a meeting with the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Bakrin said Nigeria must shift from dependence on sugar imports to becoming a production hub under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The policy environment is right, the market is massive, and now is the time to act,” Bakrin declared.
The NSDC has secured a 150,000-hectare land bank in secure, climate-suitable areas, alongside a Commercial Outgrower Initiative targeting 50,000 hectares of sugarcane cultivation in Numan, Bacita, Sunti, and Lafiagi.
Under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan II (NSMP II), NSDC is offering full investment support—tax holidays, infrastructure credits, mechanisation, land lease facilitation, and guaranteed offtake.
Bakrin also highlighted the untapped potential of sugar by-products such as ethanol, biogas, bioelectricity, and bioplastics, calling them “hidden goldmines.”
AFAN President, Dr. Faruk Rabiu Mudi, pledged support, urging nationwide farmer participation. “With collaboration, we can shift Nigeria’s sugar story from deficit to dominance,” he said.
