The Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Owan Enoh, has commended the Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC), Mr. Kamar Bakrin, for reforms at the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI), Ilorin, while urging that the institute becomes fully operational.

Speaking during a visit to the facility, Enoh stressed that NSI must evolve into a hub for capacity development, technical expertise and innovation to support Nigeria’s drive for industrialisation and self-sufficiency in sugar production.

“I have found the NSDC Executive Secretary to be passionate, focused, and committed,” he said. “The policy reforms, capacity building and infrastructural upgrades achieved within a short time are commendable. However, he must not rest until the institute becomes fully operational, given its critical role in boosting local production.”

He reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to supporting NSDC and NSI, calling for sustained collaboration among stakeholders to transform the sector.

Established in 2019 and commissioned in 2021, NSI serves as the research, training and technical backbone of Nigeria’s sugar industry. Headquartered in Ilorin, it houses specialised bio-factory and tissue culture laboratories that support seedcane development, research and manpower training across the sugar and ethanol value chains.

The institute was designed as a shared national platform to centralise research and ensure access to improved planting materials, training programmes and technical services for all industry operators.

Since assuming office in October 2023, Bakrin has repositioned NSI into a functional, industry-facing centre. Over 60 staff have undergone training in project management, stakeholder engagement and technical operations, including laboratory processes and equipment maintenance.

NSI has also expanded its training footprint through structured programmes covering sugar processing, refining, quality control, safety and environmental compliance. These initiatives combine classroom instruction with practical demonstrations.

In addition, the institute has upgraded its curriculum and operational procedures, covering the full sugar production cycle and enhancing biofactory protocols for crop development.

NSI has provided technical support to industry players, including training for Sunti Golden Sugar Estate staff and a field-to-factory programme for new hires at BUA Foods’ LASUCO operations, reinforcing its role as a centre of excellence for Nigeria’s sugar industry.