The Federal Government has directed Dangote Group to scale up the annual production capacity of its subsidiary, Dangote Sugar Refinery, to 600,000 metric tonnes by 2030, as part of efforts to boost domestic sugar output and reduce import dependence.
John Enoh, the Minister of State for Industry, gave the directive during a visit to the company’s sugar complex in Numan, alongside the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, Kamar Bakrin.
The visit, according to a statement by the council, forms part of ongoing inspections of sugar projects nationwide in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to accelerate Nigeria’s attainment of self-sufficiency in sugar production.
Enoh said current domestic output remains significantly below the country’s estimated annual consumption of 1.8 million metric tonnes, stressing that Dangote Sugar, as one of the three major operators in the industry, is expected to contribute at least 600,000 metric tonnes annually by 2030.
“DSR is a very big player in the industry, one of the three major operators. Our circumstances in this sector will continue to depend on what DSR does,” he said, adding that the target must be achieved before 2031.
The minister noted that progress observed at the facility—including infrastructure scale, level of investment, and development at the new 6,000 tonnes-per-day plant demonstrates commitment to the objectives of the Backward Integration Programme under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan.
He added that while the programme remains on course, it requires accelerated implementation to meet national targets.
Nigeria’s sugar consumption stands at about 1.8 million metric tonnes annually, underscoring a significant supply gap that the government aims to close through increased local production.
Enoh also highlighted financing constraints as a key challenge, noting that access to affordable long-term funding—often referred to as patient capital—remains critical to scaling production. He said the government is exploring ways to support operators in raising the required capital.
“We are aware that there are issues that remain nagging, and one of those issues has to do with affordable long-term finance,” he said.
Olakunle Alake, vice president of the Dangote Group, assured the government of the company’s commitment to meeting the production target, stating that additional investments would be deployed to expand capacity.
During the visit, the minister and NSDC officials inspected the new factory expansion site, harvest fields, haulage operations, and processing units, including mills, boilers, turbine evaporators, and packaging facilities.
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