▪︎The Executive Secretary/CEO NSDC, Mr Kamar Bakrin. Photo Credit: Facebook
The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has given the local sugar refiners in the country a fresh 2000 metric tonnes of annual sugar production target.
The big three sugar refiners are Dangote Sugar Refinery (DSR), BUA Sugar Refinery, and the Golden Penny Sugar Refinery, a subsidiary of the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc.
In a statement, the Executive Secretary/CEO NSDC, Mr Kamar Bakrin, said “The vision of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) Phase II is to achieve 2000 metric tonnes of annual sugar production and create 1000 jobs for Nigerians.
He disclosed that the Dangote and the other Sugar Refineries are spending a billion dollars annually, importing raw sugar from Brazil, alone.
Mr Barkin admitted that before this ambitious target is met, there has to be a substantial increase from the current 50,000 metric tonnes of annual production.
However, in a swift response to the NSDC boss, an analyst in the sugar industry, said : ” for 2MT sugar, you will require 20 sugar plants each employing at least 6000 people directly 20,000 indirectly.
Thus a total of 180000 direct and 400,000 indirect. A sugar project has a high personell employability and pays.”
Mr Barkin emphasised the Council’s three primary areas of focus, which are sugar projects, industry regulation, and research and development.