Nigeria spent about 183.5 billion Naira importing raw cane sugar in the first half of 2026, according to government data. Although imports decreased by nearly 27% in the second quarter compared to the first, Brazil was the only country supplying this sugar. Governor Umar Bago of Niger State highlighted that Nigeria relies heavily on imports for sugar, with 97% of the sugar consumed coming from abroad, despite having suitable land for growing sugarcane. He mentioned that local factories mainly process imported sugar rather than producing it themselves. Bago pointed out the economic benefits of sugarcane, which can be used for making ethanol, animal feed, and even energy. He stressed the need for Nigeria to reduce its reliance on imports and suggested aiming for a trade balance where 70% of trade is exports and only 30% is imports. Currently, the situation is almost the opposite, with 80% being imports. He also mentioned Niger State's agricultural projects to improve local production and exports.
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