The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for extending the national sugar master plan by ten additional years.
The council said this would enable it raise sugar production to 1.8 million metric tonnes in order to secure self-sufficiency for the country in that area.
Nigeria is the world’s largest importer of sugar, at 1.87 million metric tons, according to the Data released by the United States Department of Agriculture, Foreign Agricultural Service.
This was the situation President Muhammadu Buhari inherited but there is cheering news that the nation may soon meet her sugar needs based on the recent approval of sugar masterplan.
The executive secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) says there are renewed efforts by stakeholders in sugar industries to raise its production to beyond needs.
The current ban on refined sugar is expected to five local sugar producers added impetus
Total sugar consumption in the country stands at 1.7 million metric tonnes, but the National Sugar Council believes that in another 10 years, the nation will be in a position to produce 1.8 million metric tonnes,.
The country still has challenges to be tackled in the Phase 2 of the Sugar Development masterplan just approved by the president and that is to produce enough quantities of sugarcane for sugar refineries around the country.
If Nigeria is to meet the 1.7 million metric tons consumption, it needs to cultivate 250,000 hectares of land (with Sugarcane) but it currently has less than 200,000 hectares open for investors.
