Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr Kamar Bakrin, has disclosed that Nigeria requires about $5 billion and 200,000 hectares of land to fully implement the Sugar Backward Integration Programme.

Bakrin made the disclosure during the 2026 revenue monitoring exercise organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Finance, chaired by Hon. Abiodun James Faleke. The lawmakers expressed dissatisfaction with what they described as the NSDC management’s lackadaisical approach to actualising the $1 billion line of credit offered by a Chinese group over the past year.

Hon. Faleke, represented by his deputy, Hon. Abdullahi Saidu, said:

“For some time now, we have been talking about how to optimise our domestic potential in the sugar industry. What are the things we need to do to make the country self-sufficient, and not just self-sufficient, but to optimise our potential to the extent that we will be able to export our surplus production?”

Underscoring the importance of the backward integration programme, Saidu stressed the need for a paradigm shift.

“It’s not just a programme on paper. We need to move it from paper to implementation and ensure that we optimise our potential.

“How far have we come with the backward integration programme? Please use this opportunity to educate Nigerians.”

Responding, Bakrin acknowledged that the programme had suffered major setbacks over the years.

“As quite a number of members are aware, we are working against a decades-long deficit in terms of the gap between local production and actual consumption.

“We have often quoted the statistic that we produce only about two per cent of the sugar we consume. Because of how long it has taken, President Muhammadu Buhari, of blessed memory, renewed the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan for another 10 years in 2022. It is expected to lapse in 2032, by which time we are supposed to attain self-sufficiency in sugar production.

“But what we at the Sugar Council are saying is that this allowance is too generous. Let’s put it bluntly. We implemented the first 10-year Sugar Master Plan and achieved only two per cent. We are saying enough is enough. We are now setting an aggressive target to achieve the required capacity, if not necessarily actual production, by 2030.”

He explained that achieving self-sufficiency would require significant investment.

“This sector requires about $5 billion to achieve self-sufficiency. We need about 200,000 hectares of land under cultivation. We have mandated the major operators, who have benefited the most from the sugar sector, to deliver at least 70 per cent of this target.

“They agreed to this commitment during a meeting with the previous Coordinating Minister of the Economy. We have also developed a pipeline of about nine greenfield operators—credible players we are bringing on board.

“When I say credible players, I’m talking about companies like Rite Foods, the producers of Bigi Cola. They have also stepped in to produce sugar, alongside other reputable Nigerian and foreign investors participating in the backward integration programme.”

Bakrin further disclosed that the council had secured a $1 billion line of credit from a Chinese group.

“We have secured a $1 billion line of credit from a Chinese group. However, it requires a sovereign guarantee, which we are currently working on with the Presidency, before the funds can be released for the sector.

“The terms are very good—15-year financing at single-digit interest rates. This is exactly the kind of financing needed to develop industry in Nigeria.”

When asked how long the offer had been available, Bakrin replied:

“It has been on the table for a year now.”

Expressing disappointment over the delay in securing the facility, Saidu said:

“This is where you need the Committee on Finance.”

Bakrin appreciated the committee’s support, noting that the council had “gotten quite a bit of traction, both from the Ministry of Finance and the Presidency in this regard.”

Not fully satisfied with the explanation, Saidu urged the council to accelerate the process.

“Even those willing to bring their money into our economy are conscious of time.

“We can’t wait forever for bureaucracy to get things done. There is a limit to how much you can push administratively, and there is also what we can do at this level. You need collaboration with committees such as ours.

“I understand that obtaining the sovereign guarantee is quite cumbersome, but with the involvement of committees such as ours, I am sure the process can be expedited. Submit all the documentation relating to this facility to the committee within the next 48 hours.”

Responding, Bakrin said:

“We need the money. We will provide all the documentation to the committee.”

In his closing remarks, Saidu said:

“I think we should have another session to discuss in detail what we can do differently. Our interest as a committee is anything that will generate revenue for the country, and we have seen that potential in the sugar sector. We will work with you to ensure you get what you need so Nigeria can maximise the economic benefits.

“We currently spend about $1 billion annually importing sugar. Another thing you need to do with the Backward Integration Programme is to set clear milestones. Where expectations are not met, there should be consequences.

“That was what was missing previously. We had a good vision and a good master plan, but after 10 years, we achieved only two per cent in domestic production. That is why this is very important.”

Speaking further, the NSDC boss praised President Bola Tinubu’s intervention.

“For the first time in Nigeria’s history, Mr President actually reduced the import quotas of sugar producers because they failed to meet their targets.

“In 2024, for the first time, we saw serious movement. Operators began completing factories they had abandoned, while those that had not planted sugarcane started taking urgent steps to do so.

“Mr President has given the policy real teeth for the first time in history, and we have already seen the results. We are hopeful that this will be sustained so operators will continue to meet their obligations.”