NSDC launches specialised training to drive Nigeria's sugar self-sufficiency

Nigeria is strengthening its drive towards sugar self-sufficiency by investing in the skilled workforce needed to transform the industry.

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has launched a specialised technical training programme to support the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) 2.0, which targets local production of two million metric tonnes of sugar.

The first residential cohort trained 39 professionals at the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI) in Ilorin, Kwara State, between June 29 and July 3. A second cohort of 41 participants is scheduled to begin on July 13.

Participants were drawn from leading industry players, including Dangote Sugar's Adamawa Sugar Company, BUA's Lafiagi Sugar Company, Sunti Golden Sugar Estate, Illaj Sugar, Legacy Sugar, progressive farmers' groups and the NSDC.

The programme covered sugarcane biology, variety selection, irrigation, water management, yield optimisation and practical "cane clinics," where participants worked with industry experts to solve real operational challenges.

Speaking at the closing ceremony, NSDC Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Kamar Bakrin, said Nigeria must combine excellence in sugarcane cultivation with efficient factory operations to achieve sustainable growth and reduce dependence on imported sugar.

"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," he said.

Bakrin added that operators under the performance-driven framework of NSMP 2.0 are being held to strict accountability.

"We must develop personnel who master both leading-practice cane yields and peak extraction efficiency to unlock long-term economic viability," he said.

He noted that the strong response to the maiden edition highlights the industry's growing demand for technical expertise, adding that the initiative is designed to accelerate implementation of the National Sugar Master Plan and strengthen Nigeria's local sugar production capacity.