Alarm as 96% of sugar consumed in Nigeria is imported amid local production

1 week ago 8
  • Concerns implicit Nigeria's rising imports proceed to worsen, with disposable information showing that Nigeria lone produces 4% of section consumption
  • Stakeholders person outlined the dangers of leaving 96% of Nigeria's sweetener depletion to imports from Brazil and different countries
  • Meanwhile, the Dangote sweetener refinery suffered monolithic FX losses successful 2024, owed to dense reliance connected imported earthy sweetener for its operations

Legit.ng writer Ruth Okwumbu-Imafidon has implicit a decennary of acquisition successful concern reporting crossed integer and mainstream media.

Stakeholders are getting progressively acrophobic that contempt repeated calls for section production, Nigeria inactive depends heavy connected imported sugar.

The study shows that lone successful March 2025, respective shipments containing arsenic overmuch arsenic 98,000 Metric Tonnes of Sugar person been imported into Nigeria.

The Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) “Daily Shipping Position” report, shows the predominance of earthy sweetener imports astatine large terminals.

FG disquieted  arsenic  Data shows Nigeria lone  produces 4% of sweetener  consumedNigeria hardly produces lone 48,000 MT retired of 1.8 cardinal MT of sweetener consumed annually. Photo credit: Monty Rakusen/Pius Utomi Ekpei
Source: Getty Images

According to the report, the AEPOS, a 199.9-metre vessel, which berthed astatine the Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited connected March 14, 2025, brought astir 48,000 MT of sweetener from Brazil to Nigeria.

The SEA DIAMOND 1, a 189.94-metre vessel, likewise berthed astatine Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL) connected March 19, 2025, with different 50,000 MT of bulk sugar.

Nigeria incapable to nutrient capable sugar

Recall that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, and the Director-General of the National Centre for Technology Management (NACETEM), Dr Olusola Odusanya, some pointed retired the economical risks of Nigeria’s over-reliance connected sweetener imports recently.

The importation figures disposable amusement that implicit 96% of sweetener consumed successful Nigeria is sourced from different countries, the NATION reports.

Data puts Nigeria’s yearly sweetener depletion astatine 1.8 cardinal metric tonnes, with section accumulation totalling 48,000 metric tonnes, leaving manufacturers to root the equilibrium of 1.75 cardinal metric tonnes from different countries.

The Country Director of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dede Ekoue, astatine the Government House successful Lafia, explained successful his September 2024 sojourn that each of his imported earthy sugar, spell to Dangote, BUA and Golden Penny sweetener refineries, wherever they are processed for consumption.

It is projected that implicit 500,000 jobs could beryllium created if the full worth concatenation of sweetener accumulation is localized, and if capable to export, the overseas speech marketplace could payment from it.

Dr. Odusanya noted that Nigeria could nutrient up to 5 times the 1.8 cardinal metric tonnes of sweetener that it consumes annually if investments are made into innovative technologies to enactment large-scale agriculture.

This could presumption the state to marque its mode into the database of planetary leaders successful sweetener accumulation similar Brazil which produces 41 cardinal metric tonnes, oregon India with 36 cardinal metric tonnes produced annually.

Local sweetener refineries put successful backward integration

As portion of efforts to trim dependence connected forex, which impacts earthy materials, BUA Foods Plc, owned by Nigeria’s second-wealthiest man, Abdul Samad Rabiu, has invested implicit $200 cardinal successful its integrated sweetener estate situated successful Lafiaji, Kwara state.

FG acrophobic   arsenic  sweetener  imports scope   96%, with 98,000MT imported successful  1  monthRecall that the FCCPC precocious traced fake and substandard sweetener successful Nigerian markets to imports from 2 countries. Photo credit: Simple images
Source: Getty Images

The managing manager of BUA Foods, Ayodele Abioye, explained that the task includes a sweetener refinery, ethanol plant, and supporting infrastructure.

Similarly, Dangote Sugar unveiled plans to execute an yearly accumulation milestone of 1.5 cardinal metric tons of sweetener sourced from locally cultivated sugarcane.

Fake and substandard sweetener spotted among imports

In related news, the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) has unearthed substandard sweetener products successful Nigerian markets.

The bureau said the products were imported from Brazil and Arapora Bionergia and are unfit for consumption.

The committee stated that its operatives conducted covert investigations nationwide, particularly successful the South-West and North-East to get to the basal of it.

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Source: Legit.ng

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