BUA Foods Plc is close to becoming Nigeria's largest integrated sugar facility, as the company pushes to deepen local production in a country highly dependent on imports for the commodity.
Located in Lafiagi, Kwara State, the project is approximately 80% complete and underlines the commitment of Abdul Samad Rabiu, as Chairman of BUA Foods Plc, to industrialization and transformational investments that drive economic growth.
“What we are building here in Lafiagi will be the largest sugar mill, sugar plantation and sugar refinery in this country, with a cane processing capacity of 10,000 tonnes per day,” Kabiru Rabiu, group executive director of BUA Group, said during an inspection tour of the site by senior government officials on Monday. “We will generate 35 megawatts of power from bagasse, and process 20 million liters of industrial ethanol per year.”
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He acknowledged delays in the project but said the pace had increased. “Yes, we have had some delays, but now, we have really given things serious momentum, and we will continue planting trees.”
The Lafiagi Sugar Company Limited project, known as LASUCO, is being developed as a fully integrated operation spanning sugarcane plantations, milling and refining facilities, an ethanol plant, irrigation system, airstrip and a power station. The complex also includes housing, health care and education facilities for workers and host communities, located on approximately 20,000 hectares of land.
Rabiu spoke during a visit by a delegation led by Minister of State for Industry, John Ovan Enoh, and Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, Kamar Bakrin.
The inspection was part of the Federal Government's efforts to track progress on major industrial projects and reinforce its backward integration policy, which aims to expand domestic production, reduce import dependence and support industrial growth under President Bola Tinubu's economic agenda.
After touring the facility, Enoch said the scale of the infrastructure already in place underlines the importance of completing the project. “The kind of things I have seen on the ground in terms of essential infrastructure, such as roads, landing points of about 3 kilometers and provisions for workers and the community, it is amazing to see,” he said. He added that the site also has “the necessary infrastructure for LASUCO's takeoff”, noting that progress should continue until it is completed.
The minister described LASUCO as a historic investment for the region, emphasizing its size and strategic importance. Enoch said, “My understanding is that LASUCO is the largest green field factory built by any major company; the capacity of 10,000 tonnes of sugarcane per day is at completion, so this factory is about to be completed.” He said the visit reinforced confidence in the management of the project and the need for continued cooperation with the government to meet delivery timelines.
According to a statement from BUA Foods, ahead of the inspection, the delegation paid a courtesy visit to the Emir of Lafiagi, Mohammed Kudu Kavu, and highlighted the role of host communities in supporting large-scale industrial investment. The emir welcomed the project, saying it was in line with local development priorities. “We are interested in seeing the Chinese masterplan come into action, because we know what it can do for us,” he said.
Bakrin, head of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, said the scale of the investment distinguishes it within the industry and reaffirmed the council’s commitment to assist in its completion. “No one has invested as much in a sugar factory as BUA Foods,” he said.
Once operational, LASUCO is expected to produce approximately 220,000 metric tons of refined sugar annually along with electricity and ethanol production that can support adjacent industries.
The project is central to Nigeria's effort to conserve foreign exchange, stabilize supply and create jobs in the agricultural value chain.
BUA Foods said construction will continue at an accelerated pace as it works towards completing the facility, reinforcing the company’s long-term bet on Nigeria’s sugar industry and its broader strategy of building large-scale domestic manufacturing capacity.
