HomeBecome a Commercial Farmer

Become a Commercial Farmer

Become a Commercial Outgrower

Become a Commercial Sugarcane Farmer: Earn Profitable Returns

Grow your wealth by participating in Nigeria’s Sugar Revolution and earn profitable returns from the NSDC Commercial sugarcane farming programme

This programme is available to 

  • Individual Farmers / Friends

    willing to jointly farm clusters of 30+ hectares

  • Cooperatives

    willing to farm clusters of 30+ hectares

  • Agrobusiness owners

    able to cultivate 50 to 500+ hectares of sugarcane farm

Eligibility Criteria

Category 1: Individual Farmers (minimum of 3 hectares)

Interested individual farmers must provide:

  1. National Identification Document (International Passport, National Identity Number (NIN), Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), Driver’s License etc.)
  2. Verifiable proof of access to land (ownership or long-term lease) suitable for the proposed hectarage
  3. Demonstrate at least three years of experience in farming, with a proven track record of cultivating at least 5 hectares of land (documents or pictures will suffice)
  4. Provide farming records from the last farming cycle, including crops grown, yields, input usage and challenges faced
  5. A Reference Letter from a reputable commercial bank indicating good financial standing
  6. All documents must be submitted with a cover letter providing a contact address, telephone number, and email address.

Category 2: Cooperatives (minimum of 30 hectares)

Interested cooperatives must provide:

  1. Evidence of Certificate of Registration issued by the relevant government body (e.g., CAC or State Cooperative Agency)
  2. Document including list of active executive committee/leadership structure with clear roles, responsibilities, and transparent decision-making processes.
  3. Proof of verifiable experience in agricultural production, with preference given to those that have engaged in sugarcane cultivation or other commercially viable crops
  4. Records of crop production in the last farming cycle, including crop types, hectarage, yields, irrigation techniques, and off-take arrangements
  5. Demonstrate financial capacity through a Reference Letter from a reputable commercial bank indicating the cooperative’s financial capability to participate
  6. All documents must be submitted with a cover letter on the cooperative’s official letterhead, bearing the Registration Number, contact address, telephone number, and email address.

Category 3: Agro-Companies (50 – 500+ hectares)

Interested firms or organisations must provide:

  1. Evidence of Certificate of Incorporation issued by the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), including Forms CAC2 and CAC7 (or CAC 1.1).
  2. A Technical Proposal detailing the proposed approach for implementing the outgrower scheme, including methods for farming and yield improvement.
  3. A Company Profile providing an overview of the organisation and key staff, with relevant CVs attached.
  4. Demonstrate experience in commercial-scale crop production (minimum of 30 hectares) with at least three years of continuous experience in open-field cultivation
  5. Provide detailed cultivation records from the last farming cycle, including crops grown, hectarage, harvest data, irrigation techniques (if applicable), and input sourcing/financing approaches
  6. Details of off-take arrangements for crops cultivated over the last three years
  7. An organisational chart and profiles of the management team, along with a list of existing machinery, equipment, and partnerships that might add value to participation in the outgrower programme
  8. Evidence of a Reference Letter from a reputable commercial bank in Nigeria indicating financial capability.
  9. The most recent full-year audited financial statement (FY2024 preferred) or the management account for the same year.
  10. All documents must be submitted with a cover letter on the company’s official letterhead, bearing the RC Number, contact address, telephone number, and email address.
Become a Commercial Outgrower

Why is the NSDC doing this?

The goal of the commercial sugarcane outgrower programme by the NSDC is to scale up local sugarcane production. Specifically, the key objectives include:

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

  • 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.

Ready to Become a Commercial Sugarcane Farmer?

Contact the Nigeria Sugar Development Council to discuss how you can participate in the commercial outgrower programme to earn good returns and be a part of the sugar revolution in Nigeria

Contact Us

  • 0707 353 6567, 0707 394 9998
  • commercialoutgrowers@nsdc.gov.ng
  • Sugar House, 10 Oro-ago Crescent, Off Mohammadu Buhari Way, Garki 2, Abuja 900104