NSDC Unveils Major Reforms To Eliminate Sugar Production Gap

The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, has clarified the institutional status of the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI), dismissing public misconceptions and outlining wide-ranging reforms aimed at repositioning the Institute as a national centre of excellence aiding the country’s drive towards self-sufficiency and competitiveness in sugar production.

Bakrin spoke during an interview with journalists, where he explained that the NSI was established as a purpose-built national institution to serve as the research, training and technical backbone of the country’s sugar sector, operating under the strategic oversight of the NSDC.

According to him, the Institute was incorporated in June 2019 and formally commissioned in January 2021, with its headquarters located in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He said NSI was deliberately designed as a shared, industry-wide platform to consolidate research, manpower development and technical support in one national hub.

“The Nigeria Sugar Institute is a purpose-built national institution established to serve as the research, training and technical backbone of Nigeria’s sugar industry.

“It operates under the strategic oversight of the NSDC and exists to ensure consistent access to quality planting materials, skilled manpower and credible technical expertise for the industry,” he said.

He explained that NSI houses specialised bio-factory and tissue culture laboratories which play a critical role in varietal development, seedcane multiplication and applied research, supporting both the sugar and ethanol value chains.

These facilities, he noted, are central to addressing one of the sector’s long-standing challenges—access to high-quality planting materials.

Bakrin stressed that contrary to some perceptions, the Institute was not set up to serve a narrow group of operators but as an industry-wide resource accessible to all players.

He added that sugar operators are already utilising NSI’s services for seedcane supply, capacity building and technical support.

“As the Institute continues to scale and demonstrate value, discussions around broader industry participation and long-term support will naturally evolve,” he said, noting that NSI is “functioning exactly as intended as a national centre of excellence strengthening the growth, resilience and competitiveness of Nigeria’s sugar industry.”

On reforms implemented since his appointment as NSDC boss, the NSDC boss said the Council embarked on a deliberate and systematic rebuilding of the Institute, beginning with governance and institutional structure.

“We set out to reposition NSI into a fully functional, industry-facing centre for research, training and technical support,” Bakrin said. “With the support of KPMG, we strengthened governance systems, clarified roles and aligned the Institute with global best practices.”

He disclosed that beyond governance reforms, the NSDC prioritised human capacity development, with over 60 NSI staff undergoing targeted managerial and technical training over the last two years.

The training covered areas such as project management, stakeholder engagement, laboratory instrumentation, soil analysis and equipment maintenance.

Bakrin added that NSI has also been repositioned as a national training hub through the NSDC/NSI Boot Camp initiative, delivering hands-on programmes in sugar processing, refining, quality control, industrial safety and environmental compliance.

Significant investments were equally made in curriculum development and standard operating procedures, covering the full sugar production cycle from cane preparation to refining and by-product utilisation with strong emphasis on safety and sustainability.

He noted that the strengthened capacity at NSI is already translating into direct industry impact, citing joint technical training programmes conducted for Golden Sugar Estate in Sunti, Niger state and comprehensive field-to-factory training delivered for new hires at the BUA-owned Lafiagi Sugar Company (LASUCO) in Kwara state.

According to Bakrin, the reforms are laying a solid foundation for the Institute to fully deliver on its mandate and support Nigeria’s long-term drive towards self-sufficiency and competitiveness in sugar production.

“When we speak about progress at NSI, we are talking about a systematic rebuilding of institutional capacity,” he said. “These reforms are positioning the Institute as a credible national centre of excellence for the sugar industry.”