FG, Niger Foods unveil $3bn sugar value chain reforms

Abubakar Kyari, Minister, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (FMAFS)

…move to revamp industry, cut imports, boost jobs

The Federal Government has announced fresh plans to revive Nigeria’s sugar value chain, reduce dependence on imports, and create job opportunities through strategic public-private partnerships.

Speaking in Abuja during a meeting with the management of Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Company Limited, Abubakar Kyari, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, said the initiative aligns with the National Sugar Master Plan and the Administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda to achieve food and nutrition security.

Kyari emphasised that the Ministry would collaborate with credible investors to expand sugarcane cultivation, support local processing, and attract both domestic and international investment into the sector.

He noted that the Government would work closely with the National Sugar Development Council and other stakeholders to unlock opportunities in the sugar value chain.

Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, Minister of State for Agriculture, added that revitalising the sugar sub-sector would open up more employment opportunities, particularly for women and youth farmers.

On his part, Sammy Adigun, executive chairman, Niger Foods, disclosed that the company had secured 250,000 hectares of land in Niger State for sugarcane cultivation.

He noted that the project would require about $3 billion in sugar plant investments, targeting the cultivation of 50,000 hectares with an annual output of 2 million tonnes.

Adigun highlighted that Niger Foods had already produced 60,000 tonnes of sugarcane from three hectares last year, proof of the potential for scaling nationwide with adequate Government support.

Niger Foods Security Systems and Logistics Company Ltd, partly owned by the Niger State Government, operates under a public–private partnership framework with a focus on enhancing agriculture and promoting food security.

Ruth Tene Natsa

Ruth Tene, Assistant Editor, Agric/Solid Minerals/INEC Ruth Tene is an award-winning journalist with over 15 years experience in developmental reporting across several newsrooms, as a reporter, editor and other managerial roles. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism from the University of Maiduguri among several other certifications She has attended several trainings and certifications both locally and internationally and has been recognized for her impactful work in humanitarian reporting, receiving the Gold Award for Humanitarian Services from the Amazing Grace Foundation. She is also a recipient of the Home Alliance Fellowship, reflecting her commitment to fostering a more humane, safer and more sustainable planet. An active member of professional journalism bodies, Ruth is affiliated with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), and the Agricultural Correspondents Association of Nigeria (ACAN), where she continues to advocate for excellence, ethical reporting, and development-focused journalism.