Nigerian government to create jobs and earn foreign exchange through sugar production.
The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Zacch Adedeji disclosed during an interview in Abuja that Nigeria will soon be competing globally in sugar production.
Zacch Adedeji pledged that the National Sugar Development Council under his leadership will open doors for job creation and foreign exchange. He further stated that the sugar production sector has a lot of potential that can enhance the economy if the sector is vigorously explored.
He also stated that the implementation of the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) has been able to attract huge investment to the sugar sector.
Investors King could recall that the Federal Executive Council in September 2012 approved the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) as a government strategy roadmap for the development of the Nigerian sugar sub-sector.
According to the NSDC boss, “The Federal Government, through the National Sugar Development Council, is committed to building a globally competitive sugar industry that would boost the local economy, provide jobs for Nigeria’s teeming youth population and position Nigeria as a net exporter of the commodity.”
Adedeji also disclosed that the council is trying to address this issue of inadequate qualified indigenous manpower. He noted the council has created the Nigeria Sugar Institute in Ilorin, Kwara State to help drive local production and possibly export in the future.
“The Institute has commenced the training of young Nigerian graduates both in field and factory operations through an exchange programme with famous sugar institutes like the National Sugar Institute, Kanpur, India as well as the Mauritius Sugar Industry Research Institute, in Mauritius”.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government at its weekly Federal Executive Council meeting (FEC) yesterday approved the second phase of the National Sugar Masterplan. The MasterPlan which is a 10-year plan is aimed to save $350 million yearly from foreign exchange and also create 110,000 jobs.
While addressing newsmen after the meeting, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo disclosed that the second phase of the National Sugar Masterplan will span from 2023 to 2033.