BUA Builds World-Class Sugar Production & Refinery in Kwara State
Sugar, extracted from sugarcane in specialized mill factories, is either used as a raw material in the food industry or fermented to produce ethanol. Sugar provides an avenue for Nigeria to improve its diversification strategy. Grown in Kwara, Katsina, Taraba, Kano, and Adamawa states, the commodity fetches Nigeria $24.88 million in revenue and the demand gap is approximately 900,000 metric tons.
The continuous increase in local high demand for sugar by industries and households in Nigeria has driven the need to invest in the local production of sugar in order to meet the high demand and also reduce its importation into the country.
In response to this, Nigeria’s foremost industrialist, AbdulSamad Rabiu, Chairman of BUA Group, is building a multi-million dollar sugar refinery and plantation in Lafiagi, Edu local government area of Kwara State. The sugar plantation and the refinery in Kwara State are among the most advanced anywhere in the world. The plantation has a capacity to produce 14,000 tonnes of canes per day when completed. The refinery will generate over 10,000 direct employment and produce over 200,000 tonnes of refined sugar together, with 200,000 litres of ethanol and 35 megawatts of power – using the bye product of sugarcane.
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“Kwara State is one of the states with land, water, and climate and we set up our business here because we know sugar refining will succeed here…Instead of importing raw sugar and processing it in Nigeria, we decided to establish sugar plantation and the refinery in Nigeria, and Kwara State happens to be the best-located state for the investment,” Stated Chairman of BUA Group, AbdulSamad Rabiu.
The Kwara state government pledged to support this ongoing project and other investors in the state by putting in place the necessary infrastructure and policies in order to ensure its success and also create a business-friendly environment.
The Governor of Kwara State, Mr AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq commended the BUA Group for siting its multi-million-dollar sugar plant in Lafiagi, emphasizing that the facility would make the local government the richest in the North Central. On May 26, 2020, The BUA Group was given the certificate of occupancy by the government.
Asides job creation, this investment would increase the social welfare and sustainability goals development of Kwara State.