Earlier today, key stakeholders including the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, alongside the CEO of Golden Sugar Company, and representatives of BUA Group met with the Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh. The strategic engagement was held at the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment headquarters, Abuja.
Opening the engagement, Mr. Bala Mohammed, Director of the Industrial Development Department, emphasised the pivotal role of the sugar industry in Nigeria’s industrial landscape. He called for accelerated efforts in delivering on the objectives of the Backward Integration Programme (BIP), noting its potential to significantly reduce import dependency.
Senator Enoh, reiterated the federal government’s commitment to revitalising the sugar sector. He described the forum as a critical platform for targets alignments and executions.
Mr Kamar presented a performance audit of the BIP. He acknowledged that Nigeria has the capacity to produce up to two million metric tonnes of sugar annually. However, the current domestic production has plummeted to thirty thousand metric tonnes, a notable drop from fifty thousand tonnes recorded in 2024. He attributed the decline to limited investments, unsuitable agricultural sites, and the overwhelming demands of managing integrated sugar estates.
Mr. Kamar noted that national average yield stands at forty-five tonnes per hectare, well below the global benchmark of one hundred tonnes per hectare. Nonetheless, he highlighted that approximately one hundred and twenty thousand tonnes of BIP-aligned operations currently meet recommended agronomic output levels, pointing to the efficacy of best practice adoption.
The engagement addressed broader challenges affecting the industry, such as systemic loopholes in the Special Economic Zones framework, prolonged equipment clearance at the ports, sugar smuggling, and occasional community resistance. The NSDC assured the Minister that critical reforms are underway, including the amendment of the NSDC Act, collaboration with security agencies to combat smuggling, and stakeholder engagement to ensure host community buy-in.
To address operator inefficiencies, Mr. Kamar urged industry players to take immediate corrective actions by improving agronomic practices, expanding estate development through inclusive community programs, and incentivising out growers. He called for performance-based sanctions and recommended the strategic deployment of Sugar Sector Development Fund (SSDF) resources through industry-led investment models.
Senator Enoh committed to supporting a more stringent implementation of the BIP. He announced that quota allocations will henceforth be performance-based and stated unequivocally that all sugar imports will be evaluated against the commitments of Master Plan participants. Furthermore, the Ministry will commence field visits to assess the implementation status of all BIP sites to ensure alignment with national targets.
This high-level meeting underscores a renewed drive to bolster local sugar production and harness the sector’s economic potential through strategic public-private collaboration.
Media Report, Office of the Honourable Minister of State for Industry
