The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has invested approximately ₦2.2 billion in Oyo Sugar and Derivatives Industries Limited (OSDL) as its sugar factory in Iseyin, Oyo State, prepares for commissioning and test-running.
The 300-tonne-per-day sugar mill was established under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan’s Backward Integration Programme, which aims to increase domestic sugar production and reduce reliance on imported sugar.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the council congratulated OSDL and the farming communities in Iseyin on the milestone, describing it as the result of more than a decade of financial, technical and institutional support.
According to the council, about ₦1.64 billion was spent on procuring the factory’s core sugar mill, while additional funding was provided for sugarcane development and operational support, bringing its total investment to approximately ₦2.2 billion.
The Oyo State Government also contributed an estimated ₦850 million in equity funding to support the completion of outstanding work at the facility.
The council praised the project promoters and local farming communities for transforming the initiative from a cooperative farming venture into an industrial facility nearing commercial operations.
The Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the NSDC, Kamar Bakrin, said the factory’s readiness for commissioning reflected the sustained efforts of the council, the Oyo State Government and the project promoters.
“That this factory now stands ready for commissioning is the result of sustained commitment by the Council, by the Oyo State Government and by the promoters themselves. Our work does not end here. The NSDC will remain engaged as OSDL moves into full-scale commercial production, and we expect this project to serve as proof that Nigeria’s sugar sector can be built on locally grown cane,” Bakrin added.
The project is expected to contribute to Nigeria’s domestic sugar production capacity through locally cultivated sugarcane and support the development of the country’s sugar industry.
