The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has taken a significant step towards boosting Nigeria’s sugar production by signing agreements with four operators.

Executive Secretary of the NSDC, Mr. Kamar Bakrin stated this in a statement, in Abuja, on Tuesday.

According to him, the NSDC signed agreements with four operators to develop greenfield sugar projects that will collectively produce 400,000 tonnes locally on an annual basis.

Figures obtained from Nigeria Bureau of Statistics (NBS) indicated that the nation spent over N2.2 trillion on Sugar imports over a five -year period.

Under this new agreement, the four operators will each develop 100,000-tonne facilities across Nigeria’s agricultural belt namely: Brent Foods in Oyo State, Niger Foods in Niger State, Legacy Sugar in Adamawa State, and UMZA in Bauchi State.

Barkin said, “The geographic spread from Nigeria’s southwest to northeast reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage diverse agricultural conditions and distribute economic benefits across regions.

“The agreements, signed at NSDC’s Abuja headquarters, represent a significant scaling of Nigeria’s sugar development ambitions.

“Under the terms, the council will provide customised project development support and cover critical service costs to ensure the ventures achieve commercial viability.

“This expansion builds on Nigeria’s increasingly aggressive approach to sugar sector development.”The four new projects promise benefits beyond mere production targets”.

Each facility is expected to generate significant employment in predominantly rural areas, develop local infrastructure, and create upstream and downstream economic opportunities.

These operators will develop new sugar production facilities across the country, adding a collective *400,000 metric tonnes to Nigeria’s annual sugar output.

The four operators and their locations, are Brent Foods in Oyo State; Niger Foods in Niger State; Legacy Sugar in Adamawa State; UMZA in Bauchi State.

Each facility is expected to produce 100,000 tonnes of sugar annually.

The NSDC will provide customized project development support and cover critical service costs to ensure commercial viability

The move aims to reduce Nigeria’s heavy reliance on sugar imports and achieve greater self-sufficiency.

The projects are expected to generate significant employment in rural areas, develop local infrastructure, and create upstream and downstream economic opportunities.

The spread of facilities across Nigeria’s agricultural belt leverages diverse agricultural conditions and distributes economic benefits across regions.

The NSDC boss said the Council has designated 2025 as a year of “accelerated development” for sugar projects, citing structural changes in global commodity markets making local production more commercially attractive.

In a major boost to commercial agriculture in Nigeria, the Dangote Group and the Niger State Government are fostering sectoral partnership worth billions of naira.

The conglomerate said significant investment has been deployed into the company’s rice production infrastructure in the state, even as it is partnering the Government on the Niger Food initiative.

The Niger Food initiative is an agricultural development programme launched by the Niger State Government in partnership with private sector players like the Dangote Group.

Senior Special Adviser to the President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group, Fatima Wali Abdurrahman, said the company’s state-of-the-art rice mill in Wushishi is “progressing steadily and on track for completion.”

Speaking Thursday at the official opening of the 2025 Niger National Trade Fair in Minna, the capital of the State, she said: “As part of our commitment to advancing agriculture, we plan to establish one of the largest rice mills here in Niger State.”’

Dangote Group is one of the sponsors of the 21st Trade Fair organized by the Niger Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NCCIMA),

Speaking on the theme: Commercial Agriculture as the Major Contributor to Sub National Economic Growth and National GDP, she said: “This initiative is expected to enhance food security and generate significant employment opportunities for the state’s population.”

She added: “This landmark project represents a significant step forward in bolstering the food security initiatives of the State. Upon its delivery, the mill is expected to enhance local rice production, create employment opportunities, and contribute to the agricultural development of Nigeria.”

According to her, the 32 Metric Tonnes Per Hour (MTPH) Mill is a cutting-edge facility, being developed on a 30-hectare site, designed to significantly enhance rice production and storage capacity in the State.

“This state-of-the-art facility incorporates the latest innovations in rice milling technology, ensuring high efficiency, minimal waste, and premium-quality output. Once operational, it will not only boost local rice production but also strengthen the entire agricultural value chain, from farm to market,” she added.

Additionally, she said, the project is expected to generate employment opportunities, support local farmers with necessary inputs like fertilizer and seedlings, and contribute substantially to the State’s food security goals.

“We will source the rice from local out growers and act as 100% off takers of the production at competitive market prices. The Dangote Rice Mill will also feature an on-site captive power generation facility capable of producing 5.8 megawatts of electricity. The project aligns with broader efforts to reduce reliance on the national grid.

She added that close to Wushishi, the company is constructing 32 silos, each with a storage capacity of 2,500 metric tons of paddy rice.

In his remark, Governor Umar Muhammed Bago, who was represented by the Commissioner for Trade, Investment and Industry, Aminu Suleiman Takuma, said the state government is opening up the state for massive investment in commercial agriculture.

He commended the Dangote Group, and urged it to take advantage of several investment opportunities and the conducive environment in the state.

He also announced that plans afoot to make the Niger Trade Fair an international event.

Speaking earlier, President of the Niger Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NCCIMA), Dr Bisi Adeniyi, called on the private sector to take advantage of the massive land in Niger State, and invest in agriculture.

In his remarks, Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sabi Abdullahi who was represented by Dr Suleiman Ladan said commercial agriculture is central to the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu economic development agenda.

Nigeria’s apex Bank, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced new cash-out limits for Point of Sale (PoS) transactions, restricting agents to a maximum daily transaction limit of N1.2 million.

The bank also limited customers to withdrawing N100,000 per day from PoS agents.

These measures, outlined in the CBN’s circular titled “Circular on Cash-Out Limits for Agent Banking Transactions,” aim to promote a cashless economy and strengthen the integrity of agent banking operations.

The circular, signed by Oladimeji Yisa Taiwo of the Payments System Management Department, underscores the need for enhanced electronic payment adoption and fraud prevention.

Key highlights include a weekly withdrawal cap of N500,000 for customers and the exclusive use of float accounts by agents.

The CBN also mandates that agent banking activities be distinctly separated from merchant operations and must apply the approved Agent Code 6010 for transactions.

The directive is addressed to Deposit Money Banks, Microfinance Banks, Mobile Money Operators, and Superagents, emphasizing the need for standardized practices across the agent banking ecosystem.