Nigeria requires a $5 billion investment to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production, according to the National Sugar Development Council’s (NSDC) Executive Secretary, Mr. Kamar Bakrin.
Currently, Nigeria produces 48,000 metric tonnes annually but consumes 1.8 million metric tonnes, leaving a significant shortfall of 1.75 million metric tonnes.
Bakrin also rejected the idea of a sugar tax, noting Nigeria’s sugar consumption is low at 9 kg per capita annually. Speaking at a media session in Lagos, he stated, “The sugar industry is a $2 billion local market with potential for growth, but achieving full capacity will require a substantial investment.”
While Nigeria has the refining capacity of 3.7 million metric tonnes, excess refining is limited to imported brown sugar, highlighting a reliance on imports. With an estimated 800,000 hectares of suitable land for sugarcane, Nigeria could produce all its sugar on 250,000 hectares. Currently, only 14,000 hectares are under cultivation.
Bakrin emphasized that the investment must be “long-term, affordable, and substantial,” arguing that smaller sums are insufficient for Nigeria to bridge its sugar gap.
