Nigeria’s sugar import bill has skyrocketed to N2.21 trillion between 2020 and 2024, marking a 328% increase from the N516.61 billion spent in the previous five-year period, as the country’s National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) continues to fall short of its objectives.
Despite 15 years of implementation since its 2010 launch and subsequent renewal in 2020, the NSMP has failed to significantly reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported sugar, with local production still meeting less than 3% of the nation’s annual demand.
Current data from the National Sugar Development Council reveals Nigeria produces only 40,000 metric tonnes of sugar annually against a demand of 1.7 million metric tonnes, leaving a 97% deficit – barely improved from the 98% gap recorded when the program began.
The Backward Integration Programme, which required sugar importers to establish local production facilities, has not delivered promised results, with sugarcane farmers citing neglect and difficulties accessing refinery markets.
Industry analysts attribute the persistent shortfall to multiple factors including inadequate infrastructure, financing challenges, and inconsistent policy implementation.
The situation has left consumers vulnerable to global price fluctuations and foreign exchange volatility, with retail sugar prices having tripled since 2020.
The National Bureau of Statistics notes the commodity remains among Nigeria’s top five food imports, despite abundant arable land suitable for sugarcane cultivation.
