Nigeria’s federal government has intensified pressure on one of the country’s leading sugar producers, Dangote Sugar Refinery, to dramatically increase its production capacity, as the nation struggles with a widening gap between local sugar supply and soaring demand.
During an inspection visit to the company’s sprawling sugar complex in Numan, Adamawa State, the minister of state for industry, John Enoh, set an ambitious target: the refinery must scale up annual production to 600,000 metric tonnes by 2030. The directive forms part of broader efforts by authorities to revive Nigeria’s sugar sector and cut reliance on costly imports.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, consumes far more sugar than it produces domestically. Despite years of policy interventions and investment pledges under the National Sugar Master Plan, local output has consistently lagged behind demand, forcing the country to depend heavily on imports to bridge the deficit.
Officials say boosting domestic production is critical not only for food security but also for conserving foreign exchange, creating jobs, and stimulating rural economies. The government has therefore been conducting nationwide inspections of sugar projects to assess progress and push key players toward meeting their commitments.
At the Numan facility, Enoh reiterated the government’s expectation that Dangote Sugar should play a leading role in transforming the sector. He emphasised that scaling up production would require sustained investment in backward integration — particularly in sugarcane cultivation — as well as improvements in infrastructure and processing capacity.
Industry analysts note that while Dangote Sugar has made strides in expanding its operations, challenges such as land acquisition issues, infrastructure deficits, and security concerns in some regions continue to slow progress.
The renewed push comes amid growing concern over Nigeria’s import bill and the vulnerability of global supply chains, which have exposed the risks of overdependence on foreign sugar.
