A sugar processing factory in Iseyin, Oyo State, has reached the testing and commissioning stage following years of investment under Nigeria’s sugar development programme.
The National Sugar Development Council said it provided approximately N2.2 billion to Oyo Sugar and Derivatives Industries Limited, including about N1.64 billion for a mill designed to process 300 tonnes of sugarcane a day. The Oyo State Government also contributed an estimated N850 million in equity funding.
According to the council, the project evolved from a cooperative farming initiative and is intended to support domestic sugar production using locally grown cane. Its Executive Secretary, Kamar Bakrin, said the council would continue to assist the operators as they move toward commercial production.
The factory’s progress is a milestone for the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan, although full commercial output, sustained cane supply and financial viability will determine its longer term contribution to reducing imports.
