By Ladi Gbegi
The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has initiated discussions with the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) to explore potential collaborations aimed at attracting significant investments into Nigeria’s sugar sector.
The discussions began with a visit from ACCI’s leadership team, led by Barr. Emeka Obegolu, SAN, to the NSDC’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Kamar Bakrin.
Mr. Bakrin, in his welcome address, provided an overview of the NSDC’s history and its strategic direction, emphasizing the Council’s commitment to achieving self-sufficiency in sugar production through the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), which is now in its second phase.
“We implement our mandate via the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), currently in its second phase. This 10-year blueprint targets self-sufficiency, with the goal of producing 2 million metric tons of sugar annually to meet the nation’s demand of approximately 1.8 million tons,” Bakrin explained.
He highlighted the NSMP’s seven key pillars, stressing the importance of private sector collaboration through platforms like ACCI. Key priorities include identifying and operationalizing viable sites for sugarcane cultivation and sugar production. He noted that the Council is conducting a nationwide survey to pinpoint the best locations and is developing a technology platform to monitor site attributes.
Additionally, Bakrin emphasized the importance of attracting credible investors to the sugar sector, citing successful examples from countries like Tanzania and Senegal. He estimated that the sector requires around $5 billion in investment, underscoring the Council’s role in facilitating both equity and project financing, particularly long-term, low-cost development finance suited to sugar production’s lengthy gestation period.
The NSDC also prioritizes ensuring sustainability in host communities, mandating corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, local employment, and the provision of critical infrastructure such as irrigation and rural access to support sugar projects.
“We have reinvigorated the Council to aggressively pursue these objectives. We see ACCI as a key partner and believe this collaboration will yield fruitful partnerships,” Bakrin stated.
In response, ACCI President Barr. Emeka Obegolu expressed the Chamber’s readiness to form partnerships that will contribute to the success of the NSDC’s mandate.
