Sugar Council, Lee Group, Target 1.2m-hectare Sugar Expansion In Niger

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) and Lee Group, owners of GNAL Sugar, are set to launch a multi-million-dollar sugar production project in Niger State, with the full backing of the state government.
Governor Umar Bago, speaking at the Government House in Minna, assured the delegations that any location in the state would be made available to fast-track the investment. “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. The government is ready to provide land for this sugar project from any part of the state that the investor considers suitable,” he said.

Governor Bago emphasised that the state government would work closely with NSDC and Lee Group to ensure a conducive investment environment, highlighting collaboration and long-term partnership as guiding principles.
The NSDC delegation was led by its executive secretary and CEO, Kamar Bakrin, who said the visit aimed to introduce Lee Group as a proven investor in large-scale sugar production to Niger State, which the Council has identified as one of Nigeria’s most viable locations for sugarcane development because of its vast arable land and abundant water resources.

“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,” Bakrin said. He added that NSDC’s role extends 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.

Lee Group’s project director, Mr. Lam Wing Ki Wilkins, highlighted the company’s long history in industrial and agro-industrial development. “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,” Wilkins said. He also 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, the largest in Nigeria by land area, spans approximately 76,363 square kilometres, about 10 per cent of the country’s total landmass. A recent NSDC national study identified about 1.2 million hectares across Nigeria as suitable for sugar development, with Niger listed among 11 states with the most favourable conditions for sugarcane cultivation and major sugar projects.

The state already hosts an existing brownfield sugar entity, the Golden Sugar Company, owned by Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, located in Sunti, Mokwa Local Government Area.
NSDC noted that the Niger engagement follows a similar initiative in November 2025, when it led Lee Group to the Government House in Taraba State, where Governor Agbu Kefas, quickly made land and other requirements available for the immediate commencement of another multi-million-dollar sugar project.