NSDC, Lee Group to establish sugar project in Niger
Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has assured the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) and the Lee Group of its commitment to the emergence of another massive sugar project in the
Niger State Governor, Umar Bago, has assured the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) and the Lee Group of its commitment to the emergence of another massive sugar project in the state.
Speaking at a meeting with the NSDC and Lee Group teams in the Government House, Minna, the governor urged his guests to choose any land in any part of the state, assuring that it would be made available for the investors to institute a multi million dollar sugar production project in the state.
Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer, National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, had led a delegation of the Council’s officials and that of the Lee Group - owners of GNAL Sugar - to the Niger State Government House as part of efforts to support the emergence of more strategic investments in the sector.
Bago welcomed the delegation and reaffirmed his administration’s readiness to partner with credible investors in agriculture, particularly sugar production.
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“Niger State is open to serious investors. We have the land, water, and political will to support projects that will grow our economy and create jobs,” adding that the government is ready to provide land for this sugar project from any part of the state that the investor considers suitable.”
He assured that the state government would work closely with NSDC and Lee Group to ensure a conducive investment environment, emphasising collaboration, and long-term partnership as guiding principles.
The visit, according to the NSDC delegation, was aimed at introducing the Lee Group as a renowned investor in large-scale sugar production to Niger state, which is identified as one of Nigeria’s most viable locations for sugarcane development due to its vast, arable land and abundant water resources.
The NSDC boss reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to driving Nigeria’s quest for self-sufficiency in sugar production through credible partnerships and serious investors.
“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, and this engagement is about building a sustainable, long-term partnership that will benefit the state and Nigeria as a whole,” Mr. Bakrin said.
He explained that NSDC’s role goes beyond policy formulation to actively facilitating engagements between investors and sub-national governments, particularly in unlocking land, infrastructure, and institutional support required for successful sugar projects.
Also speaking, the Project Director of Lee Group, Mr. Lam Wing Ki Wilkins, highlighted the company’s long history in industrial and agro-industrial development, noting that the group has been in operation for over six decades with extensive experience in sugarcane cultivation, processing, and integrated value-chain development across different regions.
“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 expressed appreciation to NSDC for facilitating the engagement and to the Niger State Government for its openness to partnership, stressing the company’s commitment to sustainability, local value creation, and alignment with Nigeria’s sugar development objectives.
Niger state is the largest state in Nigeria by land area, covering approximately 76,363 km², which accounts for roughly 10% of the country’s total land mass.
The NSDC recently concluded a comprehensive national study which identified about 1.2 million hectares of land across the country as suitable for sugar development.
Based on its unique characteristics, the Council listed Niger among the 11 states with the most suitable land for sugarcane cultivation and major sugar projects. One of the existing brownfield entities, the Golden Sugar Company (GSC), owned by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, is also located in Sunti, Mokwa local government area of the state.
It would be recalled that the NSDC boss had in November 2025 equally led the Lee Group to the Government House in Jalingo, Taraba state, where Governor Agbu Kefas, quickly made land and other necessities available for the immediate commencement of a multi-million-dollar sugar project in the state
