The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has officially launched a major new initiative designed to significantly increase Nigeria's domestic sugarcane production. The programme, called the Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme (SODP), was announced on 10 November 2025 and forms a critical part of the national strategy to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar.
A Strategic Push for Sugar Self-Sufficiency
According to the Executive Secretary and CEO of the NSDC, Kamar Bakrin, the SODP is a flagship component of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan (NSMP II). The programme has a clear multi-pronged objective: to scale up local sugarcane cultivation, drastically cut the country's reliance on expensive sugar imports, and stimulate broad-based economic growth, especially in rural areas where farming is a primary livelihood.
Bakrin emphasized the transformative potential of the initiative, stating it is a first-of-its-kind effort for the sector. "For the first time, a structured outgrower development programme will formally integrate farmers at all levels into the national sugar value chain," he said. This campaign aims to ensure that everyone, from large commercial agribusinesses to smallholder farmers, has a fair opportunity to contribute to Nigeria's journey towards sugar self-sufficiency.
Empowering Farmers with Guaranteed Support
The programme is designed to de-risk farming for participants and ensure their success. Key support mechanisms for empowered farmers include guaranteed offtake agreements to secure market access, provision of high-quality seedcane and other necessary inputs, comprehensive technical support and training, and the promotion of sustainable practices for land and water use.
Explaining the operational framework, the Head of Out-Grower Management at the NSDC, Lade Offurum, detailed the three primary categories of farmers the SODP will engage:
- Agribusinesses and commercial farmers cultivating between 50 and 500 or more hectares.
- Farming cooperatives that can apply as organized clusters managing 30 to 50 hectares.
- Individual farmers or groups of friends willing to jointly farm clusters of 30 hectares or more.
She confirmed that interested and eligible participants can contact the NSDC for more information and applications via the email address [email protected] and a provided phone contact.
A Major Step for Nigeria's Sugar Industry
With the launch of the SODP, the NSDC reinforces its commitment to delivering on the ambitious targets of the NSMP II. This programme is expected to accelerate much-needed investments in local sugar production, empower a new generation of farmers, and firmly advance Nigeria's vision of building a globally competitive sugar industry from the ground up.
