Date: 2019-11-27

The Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, BUA Group of Companies, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu has hinted that the planned sugar plantation and refinery in Lafiaji, in Edu local government council area of Kwara state is capable of producing over 200,000 tonnes of refined sugar and generate over 10,000 direct employments opportunities for the people of the country.

He also said the project would generate 200,000 litres of ethanol and 35 megawatts of power – using the bye product of sugarcane.

Rabiu stated this in Lafiaji, Kwara State on Monday, when he led the state governor, Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq on facility tour of the multi-billion-naira BUA Sugar refinery company.

He said that, "the sugar plantation in Lafiagi and the refinery is one of the most advanced anywhere in the world with the capacity to produce 14,000 tonnes of canes per day when completed.

"Kwara State is one of the states with land, water and climate and we set up our business here because we know sugar refining will succeed here."

He added that, "Instead of importing raw sugar and process it in Nigeria, we decided to establish sugar plantation and refinery in Nigeria and Kwara State happens to be the best located state for the investment.

"When completed, it will generate over 10,000 direct employments and produce over 200,000 tonnes of refined sugar together with 200,000 litres of ethanol and 35 megawatts of power - using the bye product of sugarcane."

Rabiu praised the effort of the state in attracting investments, saying, "this is the only sugar plant in Nigeria with plantation and refinery and will be completed by the end 2020."

Responding, the state governor, Alhaji Abdulrasaq said the state would support the upcoming BUA Sugar Factory and other investors in the state to succeed by creating the right environment.

AbdulRazaq said the strategies to attract and keep investors in Kwara would include sustaining the state's peaceful environment and putting in place the necessary infrastructure and policies to ease the business climate.

He commended the BUA Group for citing the sugar plant in Lafiagi, saying the facility would make the local government the richest in the north central.

He said, "BUA today is the biggest investor in North Central Nigeria and we are happy that their investment is in Kwara State. I am in fact happy that it is in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government."

He said the plant would produce about 25 per cent of Nigeria's sugar need when it begins operation later next year and 75 per cent of the country's sugar needs in the next 10 years.

"Kwara wants to be the epicentre of sugar production in Nigeria and we are creating a peaceful environment for business to thrive," AbdulRazaq said.

He added that such investments would cut poverty rate and strengthen Kwara's capacity to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals since the issues of water and electricity would be tackled once the factory begins operation.