The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has graduated 39 professionals from its first residential training programme at the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI) in Ilorin, marking a key step toward the country's goal of producing two million metric tonnes of sugar annually. The intensive course, held from June 29 to July 3, focused on improving efficiency across the sugar value chain through instruction in sugarcane biology, irrigation, crop productivity, and factory operations. A second cohort of 41 participants was scheduled to begin training on July 13 at the institute's purpose-built campus, which includes a 50-room accommodation facility and collaborative learning spaces.
Executive Secretary and CEO of NSDC, Kamar Bakrin, said the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) 2.0 relies on building technical expertise in both farm productivity and factory efficiency to end Nigeria's sugar import dependency. "Neither field productivity nor factory efficiency, on its own, can move the needle greatly," Bakrin stated, adding that the plan demands integration of both for long-term viability. He noted the market response to the programme exceeded expectations, revealing a significant shortage of skilled personnel in the sector.
Trainees took part in practical "Cane Clinics," where they assessed real farm challenges and developed solutions with industry experts. The programme also included visits to the National Museum and the Innovation Hub in Ilorin to connect technical training with Nigeria's industrial heritage and innovation landscape. Participants came from major sugar-producing organisations including Dangote's Adamawa Sugar Company, BUA's Lafiagi Sugar Company, Sunti Golden Sugar Estate, Illaj Sugar, Legacy Sugar, Progressive Farmers' Groups, and NSDC. The council said cross-sector involvement is critical to breaking institutional silos and ensuring direct transfer of knowledge to those implementing NSMP 2.0.
Kamar Bakrin insists both farm and factory performance are essential to ending sugar imports, yet the NSDC is training specialists in only one location while sugar operations span multiple states. The council's focus on Ilorin as the sole training hub may limit reach, given that participants must travel from far-flung production sites. If the goal is nationwide impact, centralised training without satellite programmes risks creating bottlenecks in knowledge transfer. This approach could slow down the very efficiency gains the NSMP 2.0 aims to achieve.
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