By Oluwakmi Kindness
The Executive Secretary, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Kamar Bakrin, says a fully developed sugar industry has the potential to reduce unemployment and improve security across Nigeria.
He made this known during a strategic meeting in Abuja with the Nigeria Customs Service, led by Comptroller-General, Adewale Adeniyi.
Bakrin explained that large-scale sugar development could transform rural communities by creating massive job opportunities and reducing youth involvement in crime.
According to him, the sector could generate about 250,000 direct jobs and over 750,000 indirect jobs across roughly 12 states, with most of these opportunities located in rural areas.
He noted that such development would help address insecurity “from the root” by providing sustainable livelihoods for young people.
Bakrin also said modern sugar estates are designed to be energy self-sufficient, producing their own electricity and supplying excess power to the national grid.
He stated that a single sugar estate could generate up to 400 megawatts of electricity, enough to power small cities and support national energy needs.
On security, he stressed that industrial and agricultural expansion would reduce unrest by creating employment and improving rural development.
“If we succeed in developing a proper sugar sector, we are talking about jobs, security, and industrialisation,” he said.
Bakrin also described the Nigeria Customs Service as a key partner in implementing the national sugar master plan, particularly in areas such as import regulation, quota enforcement, and anti-smuggling operations.
In response, Customs boss Adewale Adeniyi reaffirmed the agency’s support for the sugar sector reform, noting its importance to job creation, rural development, and energy expansion.
Both agencies agreed to strengthen collaboration on import monitoring, quota administration, incentive enforcement, and tackling illegal sugar imports.
They also committed to setting up a joint enforcement team and holding periodic review meetings to ensure effective implementation of the national sugar development agenda.
