Charles Abuede
As part of efforts to support the Backward Integration Policy (BIP) of the Nigerian federal government, to make Nigeria a sugar sufficient economy, the management team of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has announced the commitment of over 4700 million to its sugar projects, the company revealed on Thursday in a statement.
According to the statement, the move was to make Nigeria more self-sufficient in sugar production on the continent as Nigeria stands as one of the sub-Saharan African largest importers of the commodity and second to South Africa with an annual import of over $337 million.
“Thus, the move was to support the federal government’s backward integration policy on sugar projects,” DSR Plc revealed.
The Dangote Sugar management however assured that with the completion of its sugar projects in Nasarawa and Adamawa under the BIP, the nation would be saved more than half of the forex expended on sugar imports annually, while also adding that the investment would also lift its people as other people-oriented infrastructures would come with the sugar projects.
John Beverley, General Manager for the BIP, Dangote Sugar, in his comments on the decision by the company said, “When the factory was fully operational, it would have the capacity to crush 12,000 tons of cane per day, while 90MW power would be generated for both the company’s use and host communities. Also, some 500km roads in all would be constructed to ease transportation within the vicinity.”
In his appraisal over the move by Dangote Sugar Company, Ibrahim Abdullah, the Speaker of the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, alongside his team members, commended the Group for the choice of state for the project which will afford the company about 78,000 hectares BIP and the accelerated pace with which the project was being executed, despite occasional delays arising from communal disagreements.
The Speaker also noted that the project will open up economic opportunities in the state for Africa and the citizens are ready to partner and also show support to the company towards the realization of the sugar project through relevant legislation.
