Minister Tours Field Projects, Seeks Accelerated Sugarcane Development to Achieve Self-sufficiency

James Emejo in Abuja

The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, said there is an urgent need for accelerated sugarcane development to match the country’s aspirations for self-sufficiency as well as match factory capacity.

He said farm expansion remained critical to achieving full operational readiness.

The minister spoke when he undertook a comprehensive tour of the Lafiagi Sugar Company (LASUCO) in Kwara State.

Enoh embarked on the visit, alongside the Executive Secretary/Chief Executive, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s directive to concerned officials for the acceleration of the country’s attainment of self-sufficiency in sugar production.

The minister commended Bakrin for the great job in motivating and monitoring operators in the Backward Integration Programme (BIP), noting that the scale of infrastructure, and level of investment, as well as the degree of project advancement observed at LASUCO reflected a tangible commitment to the objectives of BIP.

The minister stressed that the president had mandated him, working closely with the NSDC boss to ensure that operators move decisively from plans to full production.

He reaffirmed the federal government’s commitment to sustained engagement with serious investors, traditional institutions, and host communities amid efforts to energise the industry, conserve foreign exchange, create jobs, and deepen industrial value chains.

During the visit, the minister undertook a comprehensive tour of LASUCO’s integrated sugar complex, including its sugar mill, ethanol plant, power infrastructure, irrigation systems, and over 700 hectares of existing sugarcane cultivation.

The project, owned by the BUA Group, is designed as a 10,000-tonne cane-per-day sugar mill with the capacity to produce up to 220,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar annually when fully operational.

The minister is expected to further embark on a series of strategic inspections of sugar projects across the country, according to a statement by the sugar council.