Nigeria Targets 2 Million MT Sugar Output as NSDC Graduates First Specialist Cohort

Nigeria is making a significant stride toward its goal of producing two million metric tons of sugar each year. This push is bolstered by the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), which has successfully graduated the inaugural cohort of specialists from its intensive residential capacity-building program. This initiative is a cornerstone of the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) 2.0, designed to cultivate a highly skilled workforce capable of enhancing efficiency throughout Nigeria's sugar value chain, from sugarcane cultivation to industrial processing.

The program, hosted at the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI) in Ilorin, targets the development of professionals equipped with the technical expertise needed to boost both farm productivity and factory operations. Kamar Bakrin, Executive Secretary and CEO of the NSDC, emphasized that achieving true sustainability and eliminating import dependency requires a fusion of field productivity and factory efficiency. He stressed that the NSMP 2.0 framework holds operators to strict accountability, demanding personnel who master both leading-practice cane yields and peak extraction efficiency for long-term economic viability.

“

Neither field productivity nor factory efficiency, on its own, can move the needle greatly. True sustainability, and the ultimate elimination of our import dependency, demands that we fuse the two. Under the performance-driven framework of NSMP 2.0, we are holding operators to strict accountability. We must develop personnel who master both leading-practice cane yields and peak extraction efficiency to unlock long-term economic viability.

Bakrin noted that the response from industry stakeholders to this first program exceeded expectations, highlighting an urgent need for skilled technical personnel. The demand and engagement from stakeholders underscore a significant technical talent deficit that the NSDC is actively working to address. The pioneer cohort consisted of 39 professionals who completed intensive training, with a second cohort of 41 participants scheduled to begin soon. The curriculum included practical and classroom instruction in sugarcane biology, variety selection, irrigation, crop productivity, and yield optimization, complemented by "Cane Clinics" for analyzing real-world farm challenges and developing solutions with experts.

“

The market’s response to the maiden initiative has already shattered expectations. The overwhelming demand and deep engagement from stakeholders underscore an acute technical talent deficit that the NSDC is systematically addressing to support rapid sector expansion.