"Nigeria can export sugar," Commissioner for commerce says

Nigeria has the capacity to produce and export sugar in large quantity, Kaduna State Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism,

Shehu stated this at a one day sensitisation workshop organised by the National Sugar Development Council for the northern region in Kaduna.

He said with Nigeria's potential in sugar production, the country has no business importing the commodity, but should produce for local consumption and exportation.

Shehu said adding value to sugar through industrial process would go a long way in solving the problem of industrialization, create employment for the teeming populace and serve as a diplomatic brand for the nation.

The Executive Secretary of the council, Lateef Busari represented by Mallam Muhammed Jika said the council was doing enough to sustain the gains of national sugar master plan for the nation self sufficiency in local production.

The Director General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Dr. Paul Orhi, represented by Mr Keneth Azikiwe assured that the agency will continue to support the council's master plan to ensure national self sufficiency. He also enumerated the various products and by-products that can obtained from mass sugar production.

Mr Hezekiah Kolawole, Director Policy, Planning, Research and Statistics of the Council said local Sugar production can generate 411 megawats of electricity, create 117 thousands of jobs.