Buhari Vows To Make Nigeria Leading Sugar Producer, Approves US$73m

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Monday, December 27th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated US$ 73 million intervention fund for irrigation, to boost the Sugar backward integration programme aimed at making Nigeria a leading sugar producing country in Africa.

African Examiner reports that to actualise this dream, an agreement between the federal government and the operators of the Sugar backward integration programme was also signed on Dec. 21, 2021, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, who represented President Buhari, said: “This morning I represented the President at the formal commissioning of the Presidential project on irrigation infrastructure.

“The intervention is the setting up of a US$73 million intervention fund for irrigation, for operators of the Sugar backward Intervention Programme.

“The goal is to support the development of irrigation infrastructure on 10,000 hectares of sugar plantations located in six sites in Numan (Adamawa State), Sumti (Niger State), Lafiagi (Kwara), Bacita (Kwara) as well as in Toto and Tunga, both in Nasarawa state.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria is also involved in the provision of required funding for the project as well.”

“The aim is to increase significantly the sugar yield so that we can work within the National Sugar Development master plan, with a view to Nigeria becoming self-sufficient in sugar production and possibly becoming a net exporter of sugar.’’

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Zacch Adedeji, said the intervention is part of government’s determination to provide an enabling environment for private investments to thrive and flourish in the country.