National Sugar Master Plan could fetch Nigeria over $700million annually — Dangote

By Ajuma Edwina Ameh

The Chairman of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP) can earn Nigeria foreign exchange in excess of $700 million yearly.

According to Dangote, If the national sugar master plan is followed strictly and the players follow the rules, Nigeria will save between $600 million and $700 million annually as forex.

The Dangote Sugar Refinery Chairman stated this while receiving some businessmen who were on a tour of the Sugar refinery in Lagos.

He said efforts were being made to ensure that the factory impacts positively on the host communities.

Dangote also said his group of companies had expended billions of naira in states where the investments are located.

Dangote explained that the Corporate Social Responsibility projects undertaken by his companies were in addition to efforts by his Foundation, Aliko Dangote Foundation, which is presently giving out micro-grants to vulnerable women in all the 774 local governments across the country.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo who was on a working tour of the Dangote’s expansive Savannah Sugar Company (SSCL) Ltd in Numan, Adamawa State and Tunga sugar project site in Nasarawa State, has described the projects as “huge, impressive and amazing.”

“What we have seen so far from all the plantations we have been to are very impressive. We are impressed with the level of work they are doing.”

On his part, the General Manager of the BIP, Dangote Sugar, John Beverley, said the factory when fully operational, would have the capacity to crush 12,000 tons of cane per day.

On power, he announced that 90MW would be generated for both the company’s use and the host communities.