Kamar Bakrin, the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) said that the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI) was created to support the entire sugar industry and not a small group of operators, reports Punch.
Bakrin made this clarification while speaking with journalists, saying the Institute was set up as a national body to offer research, training, and technical assistance to Nigeria’s sugar sector. He noted that the NSI operates under the supervision of the NSDC.
He said the Institute was registered in June 2019 and officially opened in January 2021, with its headquarters located in Ilorin, Kwara State.
According to Bakrin, the NSI was designed to serve as a national support centre for the sugar industry by providing research services, training programmes, and technical guidance. He explained that the Institute works under the direction of the NSDC to help ensure that sugar producers have access to quality planting materials, trained workers, and dependable technical support.
Bakrin said the Institute is equipped with specialised laboratories, including bio-factory and tissue culture facilities. He explained that these facilities are important for developing improved sugar varieties, multiplying planting materials, and carrying out practical research that supports both sugar and ethanol production.
He added that the laboratories help address one of the industry’s long-standing problems, which is the limited availability of good-quality planting materials.
The NSDC chief also stressed that the Institute is open to all participants in the sugar industry. He said it is not restricted to any particular group, adding that several sugar producers are already using its services for planting materials, staff training, and technical assistance.
He noted that as the Institute continues to grow and show positive results, talks about wider industry involvement and long-term support are expected to increase.
Bakrin also outlined steps taken since his appointment to strengthen the Institute and position it as a leading national facility.
He said the goal was to transform the NSI into a fully operational centre that directly supports the industry through research, training, and technical services. With assistance from KPMG, he explained that management systems were improved, responsibilities were clearly defined, and operations were brought in line with international standards.
In addition to these changes, Bakrin said the NSDC focused on staff development. He disclosed that more than 60 NSI employees have received management and technical training over the past two years.
He said the training programmes covered areas such as project planning, engagement with industry stakeholders, laboratory work, soil testing, and maintenance of equipment.
Bakrin added that the Institute has also been strengthened as a national training centre through the NSDC/NSI Boot Camp programme. He said the programme provides hands-on training in sugar processing, refining, quality checks, workplace safety, and environmental standards.
Speaking on the results of the reforms, Bakrin said the changes are already having a positive effect on the industry. He cited training programmes carried out for Golden Sugar Estate in Sunti, Niger State, as well as practical training for new employees at BUA’s Lafiagi Sugar Company in Kwara State.
He said the progress made at the Institute shows a steady rebuilding of its capacity, adding that the reforms are helping to establish the NSI as a reliable national centre that supports the development of Nigeria’s sugar industry.
