Nigeria is steadily progressing toward self-sufficiency in domestic sugar production, according to the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Kamar Bakrin.
Bakrin made this known in an interview with DAILY POST, where he disclosed that the newly launched Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme (SODP) has received strong and practical buy-in from stakeholders across the sugar value chain.
He said the level of interest recorded since the programme’s rollout reflects growing confidence in the federal government’s renewed drive to expand local sugar production and reduce reliance on imports.
“The response has been overwhelmingly positive—and, more importantly, highly practical. What we are seeing is a clear willingness by participants to engage meaningfully,” Bakrin stated.
According to him, the SODP is designed to integrate farmers directly into Nigeria’s sugar industry by offering guaranteed offtake arrangements, access to improved seedcane, essential farm inputs, and continuous technical support.
“Farmers should not be left to produce sugarcane in isolation, without market certainty or support,” he added.
Bakrin explained that the programme has gone beyond policy formulation and is now in full implementation, particularly in communities located near existing sugar estates.
On concerns surrounding the availability of planting materials, the NSDC boss revealed that the council has established dedicated seedcane farms and is deploying modern bud-chip technology through the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI).
He noted that the technology has the potential to shorten the project development cycle by between 12 and 18 months, significantly accelerating production timelines.
Bakrin further said recent reforms at the Nigeria Sugar Institute have repositioned the agency as a national centre of excellence, strengthening research, training, and technical capacity required to achieve sustainable, long-term sugar self-sufficiency in Nigeria.
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