The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has launched the Sugarcane Outgrower Development Programme (SODP) aimed at scaling local sugarcane production, integrating smallholders into the sugar value chain, and reducing Nigeria’s dependence on imported sugar.
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Council, Mr. Kamar Bakrin, announced this during the official launch of the programme in Abuja.
Bakrin said the initiative is part of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan II (NSMP II), noting that the programme will strengthen inclusive economic growth by giving farmers direct access into the sugar industry’s supply chain while complementing the output of existing large-scale sugar estates.
“This is a pioneering initiative for Nigeria’s sugar sector,” Bakrin stated. “For the first time, a structured outgrower development programme will formally integrate farmers at all levels into the national sugar value chain.”
He explained that the SODP will provide farmers with guaranteed offtake opportunities, access to quality seed cane and inputs, technical support, structured training, as well as sustainable land and water use practices.
Head of Out-Grower Management, Mrs. Lade Offurum, said the programme will accommodate commercial farmers cultivating between 50–500+ hectares, farming cooperatives with cluster sizes of 30–50 hectares, and groups of individual farmers willing to jointly cultivate a minimum of 30 hectares.
She said interested applicants are to contact the NSDC via email, adding that applications close on November 21, 2025.
With the launch of the SODP, the NSDC says it is strengthening rural productivity, boosting investment inflows, and accelerating Nigeria’s drive toward self-sufficiency in sugar production.
