As part of efforts to boost domestic sugar output and reduce import reliance, the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has allocated 150,000 hectares of land to local farmers and agribusiness investors under the second phase of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP II).
The initiative, disclosed by NSDC Executive Secretary Kamar Bakrin, is designed to position Nigeria as a key sugar-producing hub in West Africa.
The selected land parcels, chosen after thorough viability assessments, are located in high-potential, water-abundant areas with local community backing. These regions include the vicinities of established sugar estates in Numan, Bacita, Sunti, and Lafiagi.
According to Bakrin, the NSDC plans to engage medium-scale farmers—those managing between 50 and 200 hectares—through structured partnerships aimed at cultivating the full 150,000 hectares.
“Nigeria’s $2 billion sugar market is largely import-driven,” Bakrin noted. “We’re empowering local farmers and investors to tap into this potential, alongside a $10 billion market for by-products like ethanol, biogas, and animal feed.”
To make the scheme attractive, the NSDC has rolled out a comprehensive incentive package. These include access to the Nigeria Sugar Industry Development Fund, duty waivers on imported equipment, five-year tax holidays, 30% tax credits on infrastructure investments, easy land acquisition, support for inputs and mechanisation, technical aid from the Nigerian Sugar Institute, and guaranteed off-take agreements with large processors.
These efforts fall in line with the federal government’s broader push to ensure national food and energy security.
With the African continent facing an estimated 13-million-tonne sugar shortfall by 2030, Bakrin noted that Nigeria is uniquely positioned to step in and fill a substantial portion of that demand. He encouraged farmers and agri-investors to seize the opportunity, emphasising the initiative’s potential to stimulate rural development, job creation, and GDP growth through a revitalised agricultural-industrial value chain.
“This is about unlocking wealth and powering industries,” he said.
