KEY POINTS

• BUA Foods’ Lafiagi sugar complex is 80 percent complete.
• Facility will process 10,000 tonnes of cane daily.
• Project includes power generation and ethanol production.

BUA Foods Plc, the Lagos-based food producer controlled by Nigerian billionaire Abdul Samad Rabiu, is close to completing Nigeria’s largest integrated sugar complex, a landmark project designed to expand domestic sugar production and reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

The facility, located in Lafiagi, Kwara State, is approximately 80 per cent complete. Speaking during a site tour on Monday, BUA Group Executive Director Kabiru Rabiu said the complex would process 10,000 tonnes of sugarcane daily, making it the largest sugar mill, plantation and refinery in the country. He added that the project will generate 35 megawatts of electricity from bagasse and produce 20 million litres of industrial ethanol annually.

Fully integrated operations

Operated by Lafiagi Sugar Company Limited (LASUCO), the project covers about 20,000 hectares and integrates sugarcane plantations, milling and refining facilities, an ethanol plant, irrigation systems and a dedicated power station. It also includes housing, healthcare and educational facilities for workers and surrounding communities.

The site visit by the Minister of State for Industry, John Owan Enoh, alongside officials of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, underscored federal support for large-scale industrial investments. Enoh described the scale of infrastructure at the site, including access roads and a three-kilometre landing strip, as evidence of the project’s strategic importance.

“My understanding is that LASUCO is the largest greenfield sugar factory in Nigeria,” Enoh said. “Completion is critical, and this visit reinforces our confidence in the project’s management.”

Economic impact

The delegation also met with the Emir of Lafiagi, Mohammed Kudu Kawu, who commended the project for aligning with local development goals. The Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Sugar Development Council, Kamar Bakrin, described the investment as unprecedented in the sector.

Once operational, LASUCO is expected to produce about 220,000 metric tonnes of refined sugar annually, in addition to electricity and ethanol that could support nearby industries. The project is central to Nigeria’s objectives of conserving foreign exchange, stabilising sugar supply and creating employment across the agricultural value chain.

BUA Foods, which operates businesses including BUA Sugar Refinery, BUA Oil Mills, IRS Flour, IRS Pasta and BUA Rice, remains largely family-controlled. Abdul Samad Rabiu holds a 92.63 per cent stake, while his son, Isyaku Naziru Rabiu, owns 1.62 per cent.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, the company’s net profit doubled to N405.2 billion, supported by revenue of N1.42 trillion. According to Billionaires Africa, the group recently signed an agreement in Dubai for a 32-tonnes-per-hour rice processing line, reinforcing its expansion across Nigeria’s food value chain.