About the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC)

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) was established by an Act of the National Assembly, Act Cap. No. 78 LFN of 2004, amended in 2015, with the mandate to develop and manage the sugar industry towards attaining sugar self-sufficiency.

Our Vision

Our Vision

To make Nigeria a notable player in the global sugar trade through policies and strategies that will transform the local sugar industry into viable and efficient world-class industry.

Our Mission

Our Mission

To accelerate the development and growth of the local sugar industry to achieve national self-sufficiency.

Project Development Support
  • Investment promotion
  • Land banking and land acquisition support
  • Input facilitation
  • Financing support
Policy Development & Implementation
  • Sector policy and strategy development
  • Sector performance management
  • Market stability
  • Advising on tariffs and trade quotas
Regulation & Incentive Administration
  • Licensing and approval of new sugar estates and refineries
  • Information and market data management
  • Reward and sanction implementation
Research & Development
  • Agronomy & sugar technology research
  • Training and capacity development
  • Seedlings & seed cane production
  • Extension services

Our Core Values

The National Sugar Development Council is guided by a set of core values that define our approach to developing Nigeria’s sugar industry and serving our stakeholders.

Respect

Respect

We uphold the highest standards of integrity in all our operations and interactions with stakeholders.

Integrity

Integrity

We uphold the highest standards of integrity in all our operations and interactions with stakeholders.

Discipline

Discipline

Market access is guaranteed for local producers

Excellence

Excellence

Market access is guaranteed for local producers

Reliability

Reliability

Currency devaluation makes imports challenging

About the
Executive Secretary

Kamar Bakrin was until recently Operating Partner at Helios Investment Partners, the World’s largest Africa-focused private equity firm, where he headed the Nigeria office. Prior to this, he was a Director at the Corporate office of the Nigerian conglomerate, the Honeywell Group; responsible for the Natural Resources and Power Infrastructure businesses.


Mr Bakrin previously served as MD/CEO of Oando Energy Services during which he led the transition to a full oilfield services company. He was, before that, the Chief Executive of Oando Marketing after having been the Head of Corporate Development of Oando’s Holding company. Before returning to Nigeria, Kamar was a Consultant with the Boston Consulting Group in the USA and has also worked with Colgate Palmolive, South Africa and Arthur Andersen (now KPMG).

He also chaired the Boards of Scidar, Arnergy Solar Ltd and Truck Transit Parks Ltd and served on the Boards of Polysmart Ltd and Gas Terminalling Global Operations Ltd. Mr Bakrin holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from Columbia Business School. He is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and a member of the Institute of Directors, Nigeria.

Kamar Bakrin

Tailored Pathways : Find Your Ideal Investment Entry Point

The NSDC welcomes credible investors across various scales and structures, offering distinct pathways to participate in this growth story. These opportunities are aligned with the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), a comprehensive strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production.

Commercial Out grower Farm

Commercial Out grower Farm

Commercial sugarcane farming offers a more accessible entry point into Nigeria’s sugar value chain, requiring less capital than fully integrated operations while still delivering attractive returns on investment.

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Commercial Farming Programme

Commercial Sugarcane Outgrower Farming: The Accessible Path to Nigeria's Sugar Revolution

Commercial sugarcane farming offers a more accessible entry point into Nigeria’s sugar value chain, requiring less capital than fully integrated operations while still delivering attractive returns on investment.

This approach allows a wider range of investors to participate in the sector’s growth while supporting the National Sugar Master Plan’s objectives.

Key Objectives of Commercial Sugarcane Outgrower Programme

The goal of the commercial sugarcane outgrower programme by the NSDC is to scale up local sugarcane production and create a peaceful co-existence between the sugar operators and their host communities in a manner that engenders development and improvement of livelihood for the communities. Specifically, the key objectives include:

  • Increase sugarcane production to meet the growing national demand for raw materials essential for refined sugar manufacturing and other derivatives.

  • Empower farmers and rural communities by providing smallholders and commercial farms with resources, training, and financial support to improve productivity.

  • Promote sustainable agricultural practices by implementing best practices in environmental conservation, efficient land use, and water management.

  • Enhance market access and price stability through guaranteed offtake agreements and fair pricing mechanisms, making sugarcane farming a profitable and sustainable business case.

Eligibility Criteria

Corporate Documentation

  • Certificate of Incorporation (CAC), including Forms CAC 2 and CAC 7 (or CAC 1.1).
  • Valid Income Tax Clearance Certificate for 2021–2023 (valid until December 31, 2024).

Technical Proposal 

  • Detailed approach to implementing the outgrower scheme, including farming and yield improvement methods.
  • Company profile with an overview, key staff, and relevant CVs.

Eligibility Criteria 

• Minimum of 50-100 hectares under cultivation with three years’ cash crop farming experience, preferably sugarcane.
• Records of the last three farming cycles, including crop types, quantities, and market details (local or export).
• Verified production figures showing stable or increasing output trends.
• Proven use of sustainable farming practices (certifications are a plus).
• Financial stability with proof of prior investments and a clean credit history.
• Capacity for large-scale farming with adequate staff, infrastructure, and technical expertise.
• Compliance with NSDC regulations and no regulatory violations.

Sworn Affidavit for Confirmation of no conflicts of interest with NSDC or Bureau of Public
Procurement and accuracy of all submitted information.

Evidence of financial capability to execute the project by submission of Reference Letter from
a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria

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Partner with Nigeria to achieve sugar self-sufficiency, capitalize on a $10+ billion sugar and bio-product market, and drive sustainable growth.

Greenfield Development

Greenfield Development

For investors seeking to shape a project from its inception, Nigeria’s greenfield sugar opportunities offer immense potential.

 

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Greenfield Projects Pipeline

Pioneering the Future: Build Sustainable Sugar Ecosystems from Scratch

For investors seeking to shape a project from its inception, Nigeria’s greenfield sugar opportunities offer immense potential.

These projects involve developing entirely new, integrated estates on carefully selected sites with ideal conditions for sugarcane cultivation and processing.

This allows for the implementation of the latest, most efficient technologies and sustainable practices right from the start.

Optimal Site Selection

Optimal Site Selection

Freedom to select locations with ideal growing conditions, water access, and logistics connections without being constrained by legacy decisions.

Modern Technology Integration

Modern Technology Integration

Implement cutting-edge automation, precision agriculture, and processing technologies from day one without retrofitting challenges.

Sustainability By Design

Sustainability By Design

Design operations with environmental sustainability as a core principle, from water conservation systems to renewable energy integration.

Customized Scale

Customized Scale

Tailor the operation’s size and scope precisely to investment capacity and market opportunity without inherited constraints.

Investment Ready Greenfield Projects

Illaj Sugar (Kaduna)

Developing 6,000 ha near River Gilma, targeting 3,000 TCD capacity. Backed by Illaj Holdings, experienced in agro-processing.

Project Details

Location

Kaduna State, Northern Nigeria

Water Source

River Gilma with year-round water availability

Est. Investment Required

$280 million initial investment

Land size

6,000 hectares with potential for expansion to 10,000 hectares

Factory Capacity

Initial capacity of 3,000 TCD, expandable to 5,000 TCD

Promoter

Illaj Holdings, with established success in rice and flour milling

UMZA Sugar (Bauchi)

Planned 10,000 ha near River Jamaare, initial 1,000 TCD capacity. Promoter UMZA brings experience from large-scale rice farming.

Project Details

Location

Bauchi State, Northeastern Nigeria

Water Source

River Jamaare with reliable flow rates

Est. Investment Required

$195 million for full development

Land size

10,000 hectares of prime agricultural land

Factory Capacity

Initial capacity of 1,000 TCD, scalable to 3,000 TCD

Promoter

UMZA Group, with strong track record in integrated agriculture

Brent Sugar (Oyo)

Planned 10,000 ha near River Jamaare, initial 1,000 TCD capacity. Promoter UMZA brings experience from large-scale rice farming.

Project Details

Location

Bauchi State, Northeastern Nigeria

Water Source

River Jamaare with reliable flow rates

Est. Investment Required

$195 million for full development

Land size

10,000 hectares of prime agricultural land

Factory Capacity

Initial capacity of 1,000 TCD, scalable to 3,000 TCD

Promoter

UMZA Group, with strong track record in integrated agriculture

Land Bank

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Project Matching

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Partner with Nigeria to achieve sugar self-sufficiency, capitalize on a $10+ billion sugar and bio-product market, and drive sustainable growth.

Brownfield Expansion

Brownfield Expansion

Partner with Nigeria’s established sugar giants to inject capital for expansion of existing operations, upgrading facilities, and enhancing operational efficiencies.

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Brownfield Projects

Scale with Speed: Invest in the Expansion of Nigeria's Sugar Champions

Investing in Brownfield projects means partnering with Nigeria’s most experienced sugar producers.

These companies have already navigated the complexities of establishing operations, building supply chains, and achieving market presence.

Your investment fuels the next stage of their growth under the National Sugar Master Plan’s Backward Integration Program (BIP), accelerating the journey towards self-sufficiency.

Immediate Market Access

Investing in established operations means accessing existing sales channels, customer relationships, and market intelligence – reducing commercialization risk and accelerating return on investment.

Operational Experience

Benefit from teams that have already navigated Nigeria’s sugar production challenges, with established protocols for everything from cane cultivation to factory operations and regulatory compliance.

Expansion Efficiency

Expanding existing operations typically achieves economies of scale more efficiently than greenfield developments, with incremental capital yielding proportionally higher returns.

Community Relationships

Leverage established connections with local communities, government entities, and outgrower networks – critical success factors that take years to develop from scratch.

Brownfield Projects

Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR)

Nigeria’s largest sugar player, owning the expansive Savannah Sugar estate (Numan, Adamawa) and developing a massive site at Tunga, Nasarawa

$2 Billion

Indicative Investment Need

(Equity: $600M, Debt: $1.4B)

Expansion Vision

Significantly increasing land under cane and milling capacity to reach 720,000 MT annual sugar production

LASUCO Sugar Company (BUA Foods Plc)

West Africa’s second-largest refiner with facilities in Lagos & Port Harcourt. Actively developing the Lafiagi estate (Kwara)

$645 Million

Indicative Investment Need

(Equity: $190M, Debt: $455M)

Expansion Vision

Growing the Lafiagi estate and associated milling capacity for 295,000 MT annual sugar production

Golden Sugar Company (Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc)

Operates the Sunti Golden Sugar Estate (Niger State) and a 750,000 MT refinery in Lagos

$745 Million

Indicative Investment Need

(Equity: $600M, Debt: $1.4B)

Expansion Vision

Developing further land and increasing milling capacity for 300,000 MT annual sugar production

Bacita Sugar Company (KIA Group)

Nigeria’s pioneering sugar estate (established 1961) located on highly fertile, well-watered land in Kwara

$270 Million

Indicative Investment Need

(Equity: $80M, Debt: $190M)

Expansion Vision

Bringing the estate back into full production, targeting 100,000 MT annually with a new 7,000 TCD factory

Get in Touch

Contact Us

Partner with Nigeria to achieve sugar self-sufficiency, capitalize on a $10+ billion sugar and bio-product market, and drive sustainable growth.

Get in Touch

Contact Us

Partner with Nigeria to achieve sugar self-sufficiency, capitalize on a $10+ billion sugar and bio-product market, and drive sustainable growth.