The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) says it is deploying modern planting technologies to raise sugar output and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imports.
The council’s director-general, Kamar Bakrin, said the initiative is part of a broader strategy to improve productivity across sugar estates and strengthen the domestic sugar value chain. He spoke at an industry engagement where stakeholders discussed ways to address long-standing inefficiencies in local sugar production.
According to Bakrin, the use of improved planting methods and mechanised systems is expected to enhance yields, shorten production cycles, and lower costs for operators. He noted that technology adoption would also support better land preparation, planting accuracy, and crop management, which are critical to boosting output.
Nigeria remains heavily dependent on imported sugar, despite several policy initiatives aimed at promoting local production. Officials say challenges such as low farm yields, limited mechanisation, and infrastructure constraints have slowed progress under the country’s sugar development programmes.
The NSDC said its current focus is on supporting operators with technical guidance while encouraging greater investment in modern farming equipment and processing facilities. The council added that improving productivity at the farm level is essential to meeting domestic demand and building a competitive sugar industry.
Bakrin said collaboration with private sector operators remains central to the strategy, stressing that technology alone would not deliver results without sustained investment and effective project execution. He also highlighted the importance of aligning planting schedules, irrigation systems, and factory capacity to avoid inefficiencies across the production chain.
The council reiterated its commitment to the National Sugar Master Plan, which aims to expand local sugar production, create jobs, and conserve foreign exchange spent on imports. Officials said the deployment of modern planting technologies is expected to complement ongoing efforts to develop new sugar estates and rehabilitate existing ones.
As Nigeria continues to pursue agricultural self-sufficiency, the NSDC said improved technology adoption in sugar farming could play a key role in reducing import dependence while supporting industrial growth linked to food processing and manufacturing.
