NSDC, Lee Group Target Niger for Sugar Expansion
Niger State has taken a significant step toward strengthening Nigeria’s sugar self-sufficiency drive following fresh commitments by the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) and the Lee Group to establish a large-scale sugar production project in the state.
The development came after a high-level meeting at the Government House in Minna, where Governor Umar Bago assured the delegation of his administration’s full support and immediate land allocation for the proposed multi-million-dollar investment.
Welcoming officials of the NSDC and representatives of the Lee Group, the governor declared that Niger State remains open and ready for serious agro-industrial investors.
“Niger State is open to serious investors. We have the land, water and the political will to support projects that will grow our economy and create jobs. The government is ready to provide land for this sugar project in any part of the state that the investor considers suitable,” Bago said.
He emphasised that agriculture remains central to the state’s economic transformation strategy and pledged close collaboration to ensure a smooth and enabling investment climate.
Driving Nigeria’s Sugar Self-Sufficiency Agenda
The NSDC delegation was led by its Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Kamar Bakrin, who described the engagement as part of ongoing efforts to attract credible, long-term investors capable of transforming Nigeria’s sugar value chain.
Bakrin noted that the Council is deliberate in matching reputable industrial partners with states that possess the natural and infrastructural capacity to sustain integrated sugar estates.
“The Council is deliberate about the kind of investors we bring to our states. Lee Group is a serious conglomerate with a long-standing track record in sugar and industrial development. This engagement is about building a sustainable, long-term partnership that will benefit the state and Nigeria as a whole,” he stated.
He explained that beyond policy formulation, the NSDC actively facilitates partnerships between investors and sub-national governments by helping unlock access to land, infrastructure and institutional support required for large-scale sugar projects.
A recent national study conducted by the Council identified approximately 1.2 million hectares of land across Nigeria as suitable for sugar development. Niger State was listed among 11 states with the most viable land for sugarcane cultivation and major sugar investments.
Niger is Nigeria’s largest state by landmass, covering about 76,363 square kilometres nearly 10 per cent of the country’s total land area. Its vast arable land and abundant water resources make it strategically positioned for large-scale sugarcane cultivation and integrated agro-processing.
The state already hosts Golden Sugar Company in Sunti, Mokwa Local Government Area, owned by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, reinforcing its emerging reputation as a sugar-producing corridor.
Project Director of the Lee Group, Mr. Lam Wing Ki Wilkins, said the company’s interest in Niger is anchored on its long-term industrial outlook and the state’s natural advantages.
“Lee Group has been in the industrial sector for more than 60 years, and we understand that sugar production is a long-term investment. Our interest in Niger State is based on its natural advantages, especially land and water resources, and we are prepared to work patiently with the state government and NSDC to develop a sustainable sugar project,” he said.
He further stressed the company’s commitment to sustainability, local value creation and alignment with Nigeria’s broader sugar development objectives.
Growing Inter-State Competition for Agro-Industrial Capital
The Niger engagement follows a similar visit in November 2025, when the NSDC facilitated discussions between the Lee Group and the Taraba State Government. During that visit, Taraba’s Governor, Agbu Kefas, reportedly provided land and other support mechanisms for the commencement of a sugar project in Jalingo.
The latest move highlights increasing competition among states to attract agro-industrial capital as Nigeria intensifies implementation of its sugar master plan.
If successfully executed, the Niger project is expected to stimulate job creation, expand rural infrastructure, deepen backward integration, and reduce the country’s reliance on sugar imports.
For Niger State, the proposed investment represents more than an industrial project it signals a strategic bid to become a central player in Nigeria’s quest for agricultural industrialisation and foreign exchange conservation.
As Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy and strengthen domestic production capacity, the emerging partnership between the NSDC and Lee Group could mark another milestone in repositioning agriculture as a driver of sustainable economic growth.
