The Federal Government has announced that packaged sugar (finished cube and granulated) importation into the country will officially become prohibited in January 2013, under a new sugar policy intended to replicate the successes achieved with the Backward Integration Policy in the cement industry.

Also, the importation of raw sugar, which is the basic raw material for refined sugar, will soon stop being an all-comers’ affair under a reviewed importation policy to be introduced in the sector soon.

According to the new policy, a full era of backward integration will soon begin, which will tie importation of brown raw sugar by producers and manufacturers in the country to the quantum of their local productive capacity in sugarcane cultivation and development, either as fresh growers or outgrowers.

The Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, according to a statement,  stated these on Monday in Abuja, adding that on the average, Nigeria had been losing N568bn yearly to the importation of brown sugar.

He said 98 per cent of brown sugar used in the country was being imported, adding that the new shift of focus from importation to local production was aimed at creating employment.

Aganga also announced that the government, through his ministry, had put in place strategies to restructure areas of critical needs and losses.

To this end, he said Nigeria would be generating N474bn ($3bn) from a focused correction of imbalances in weights and measurement, especially in the oil and gas and telecoms sectors of the economy in the year 2013.

For instance, in the area of product measurement, he said, “We want to reposition and strengthen the Weight and Measure Department to stop the $3bn yearly loss in foreign exchange to inappropriate measurements in all facets of the economy.”

The minister also said the country attracted $8.9bn worth of foreign direct investments as of the end of 2011.

He said, “In all, investments worth of $8.9bn were attracted into Nigeria in 2011, showing that FDI inflow into Nigeria surpassed the global and regional average by, at least, 20 per cent during the year.

“For you to attract investment into the country, you must have the right structure in place, and that is why we now have Trade and Investment desks in our embassies, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is fully involved.”

dejust: That's a good idea for our economy to grow.

Okija_juju: So instead of encouraging Nigerians to go into Sugarcane farming.. Instead of improving our Univeristies of Agriculture to enable them carry out plant research that would enable them create stronger strains of fruits that can survive in Nigeria, we are stopping the importation of refined sugar..

Whats the difference biko?! Its like you stopped the importation of Orange Juice, yet we import Oranges.. lol. How stupid!

dejust: That's a good idea for our economy to grow.

ogbeche77:
And also another reason for DANGOTE to smile to the bank

ogbeche77:
And also another reason for DANGOTE to smile to the bank

blink182: na now I know say you no get common sense for that your big head. Shey the sugar when dem go manufacture internally na from breeze, the technical know how na from breeze too. Olodo.

speedyboi: I've switched to nasco sugar(made in nigeria) a long time ago. So ban on st Louis won't affect me!

midetinz:

LIES! A good idea for DANGOTE to grow more

Jimbadly: This is definitely a ploy to make Dangote richer. By this time next year he'll be atleast the 3rd richest man in the world. His money is sure working for him. Guess how much he used to lobby the govt officials that introduced this latest ban.

asala1:
Hehen? Is Dangote not in Nigeria? Will it not create jobs for Nigerians? Will farmers that will subsequently grow the sugarcanes not Nigerians? It is people like you that will still be carrying CVs around looking for jobs in that sugar factory. I don't think Dangote is stoping anybody from being an entrepreneur. If you have the courage and can take risk, start producing sugar.

princemedico:
Good! This have been long overdue, each time I see that st. Louis it makes me angry knowing that it is the well known and only choice for consumable sugar. @ speedyboi, I have never seen the Nasco sugar, pls where do you buy from?

WHAT!!!!??


If they ban St. Louis ehn?!!! I swear

Okija_juju:

[b]Technical know how?!!

Funny stuff.. Shey na Nigerians invent sugar making?! Technical know-how for sugar?! Simple crystalization na ehn be the technical know-how?!

Apka Amu, if they want to impress me, they should ban the darn thing outrightly. Lets source for the materials locally. Why should we be importing raw sugar when Sugarcane can be cultivated locally and on an industrial scale?!

We banned the importation of 'PACKAGED ORANGE JUICE', however you can import 'ORANGE CONCENTRATE'. Sounds good. But then again, even the tetrapacks used in pakaging the juice is still imported. so its like you import all the parts for making the product (Including packet and even straw and glass to drink it) and then assemble it in Nigeria. Giving the tendency of Nigerian companies to cut corners and the zero quality control, you end up with a bullshiit tasting juice liek FUNMAN or a useless juice like Cappy.

Oranges are planted in Nigeria. We even have genetically altered oranges that can produce many fruits in a short period. Why are we still importing the darn concentrate?! Same for Sugar, same for Pineapples, same for Petrol..



Shey when I advise you say night school na wrong investment, you think say na bad bele I get.. Now see yourself. You think say Sugar manufacturing na rocket science abi?! Ewu Lokoja [/b]

ypzilanti:

Na small small, na. Packaging products in your country is a way of creating more jobs. Even if the tetrapak is foriegn, the packaging process still employs people to manage the factory. Besides, tetra pak technology is protected by patent. In the case of sugar, its just a cardboard box basically.

Well said...

Oya, go bring Garri, purewater and St. Louis sugar, make we take hold belle till evening!