NSDC CEO-Nigeria : We’re deploying planting technology to boost sugar production
Nigeria is accelerating sugar self-sufficiency by backing greenfield projects with dedicated seedcane farms and modern bud chip planting technology. NSDC says faster estate development, lower costs and higher yields will cut project timelines by up to 18 months, supporting 400,000 tonnes of annual output, jobs, industrialisation and reduced import dependence.
Speaking with journalists at the weekend in Abuja, Kamar Bakrin, NSDC executive secretary and chief executive officer (CEO), said the council has established dedicated seedcane farms to support greenfield projects.
Greenfield projects involve establishing new sugar estates and processing plants on undeveloped land, creating space for modern infrastructure. This enables efficient, large-scale sugarcane farming and significantly boosts production capacity.
“In parallel, through the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI), we are deploying modern planting technologies, particularly pre-sprouted bud set or bud chip technology. This represents a major shift from traditional whole-cane planting methods,” Bakrin said.
“NSI is already building capacity for large-scale bud chip propagation and integrating this technology into its research, training, and extension programmes. The impact is substantial: faster estate establishment, lower planting costs, improved field uniformity, and stronger quality control.
“Bud chip technology allows us to multiply planting materials faster, reduce costs and cut between 12 and 18 months from the project development cycle.”
Bakrin said the NSDC’s commitment to driving sustainable investments will strengthen Nigeria’s domestic sugar industry, reduce import dependence and support the country’s broader industrialisation and food security objectives.
Last year, the council signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with four greenfield sugar project promoters — Brent Sugar (Oyo), Niger Foods (Niger state), Legacy Sugar (Adamawa), and UMZA (Bauchi) — to collectively produce 400,000 tons of sugar annually.
Bakrin said the plants are strategically located across the south-west, north-central and north-east to tap Nigeria’s diverse agro-climatic strengths and promote widespread economic gains, including jobs, infrastructure development and local business growth.
“Greenfield sugar projects are absolutely central to closing Nigeria’s domestic sugar production gap. These MoUs are not symbolic; they reflect concrete investment decisions that will translate into real production outcomes,” he said.
Bakrin added that the investments will deliver long-term value to the sugar industry and the Nigerian economy.
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Source : The Cable
