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How dry spell left Kagadi farmers counting losses as rains return

Farmers in Kagadi District, Bunyoro Sub-region are counting losses after a prolonged dry spell, lasting more than three months destroyed crops, disrupted household incomes and left many families uncertain about how to meet basic needs, including food and school fees.

The losses come as the rainy season sets in, raising hopes of a fresh planting season, but offering little relief to farmers whose crops have already dried up.

Farmers say the return of rain cannot revive the beans, groundnuts and sorghum that withered before maturity, leaving them to start afresh despite having invested heavily in the previous season.

Mr Gideon Bizimana, a resident of Wabinyama in Rubirizi Parish, Mpeefu Sub-county, invested in two acres of beans, but was forced to replant maize after the crop dried up.

He said many farmers began planting in July in anticipation of rains expected in early August. However, the anticipated rainfall did not materialise through September, exposing crops to prolonged sunshine and leaving gardens dry.

He added that some farmers had borrowed money to finance their gardens, increasing fears of debt, loss of property and further financial hardship after the failed harvest.

‘Previously, I had planted beans, but the dry spell destroyed the entire garden. I had no option but to replant maize that would catch up with the rains,’ he said.

Mr Bizimana said he spent about Shs720,000 on preparing the garden, buying seeds and paying labourers, but lost the investment when the beans failed.

Beans have been his main source of income for the past 10 years, but the latest loss has left him struggling to identify an alternative source of money.

He attributed the changing weather patterns partly to forest destruction, saying continued clearing of forest cover for farming and charcoal burning could be contributing to the worsening conditions.

He is now relying on coffee sales, although he says the crop has also been affected by prolonged sunshine and declining prices.

According to him, the price of dried coffee has fallen from Shs8,000 to Shs5,000, while processed coffee has dropped from Shs11,000 to Shs7,800.

Mr Biziimana had used funds from the Parish Development Model to establish his coffee enterprise and expected to begin repaying the money in the current financial year. However, the losses have complicated his repayment plans as he struggles to provide food, medical care and school fees for his family.

For Ms Chance Asiimwe Tusingwire, a farmer who invested in an acre of beans, the failed season has put her education plans at risk.

‘I expected the output to facilitate my first semester as I continued to plan, but the drought has left me stranded,’ she said.

Mr Peter Nzabonimpa, the chairperson of Rwensenene A in Rwabaranga Parish, Mpeefu Sub-county, said the prolonged dry spell also affected his fish farming enterprise after water levels in his four fish ponds almost dried.

‘When the dry spell lasted for about four months, water volumes reduced, causing the death of my fish,’ he said.

Mr Nzabonimpa said fish sales would normally generate about Shs800,000, money he uses to support the education of his three children and meet other household expenses.

He added that his bee-keeping enterprise has also suffered because bees struggle to find nectar during prolonged dry conditions, reducing honey production.

‘I would earn Shs600,000 from two jerrycans of honey in normal seasons. This would supplement my seasonal earnings. Now that I have only registered losses, life is tricky until the next season,’ he said.

Mr Desire Mpalana, the principal agricultural officer in Kagadi District, urged farmers to embrace small-scale irrigation systems to reduce their dependence on rainfall and protect their crops during prolonged dry periods.

He said the destruction of forests for charcoal burning and farming had contributed to environmental degradation, warning that farmers needed to reconsider their agricultural practices in response to changing weather patterns.

FG working on draft executive bill to tackle emerging cyber threats

The Federal Government has said it is committed to overhauling Nigeria’s cybercrime legislation to address emerging threats from artificial intelligence, including sophisticated online fraud, digital surveillance and attacks on critical national infrastructure.

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, made this known at the second International Cybersecurity Conference held in Abuja on Tuesday

The ????????conference 2026, is with theme: ‘Cyber Resilience in the Age of AI: Defending Minds, Networks and Nations’.

In a message delivered on his behalf by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, Fagbemi said the federal government is working on a draft executive bill to strengthen Nigeria’s legal framework for tackling emerging cyber threats.

‘The Federal Ministry of Justice has advanced work on a draft executive bill to strengthen our legal framework,’ he said.

Fagbemi said technological advances had transformed cybercrime into a threat to financial systems, national security, personal dignity and public trust.

‘Our objective is clear, we support laws that respond to emerging technologies, facilitate the preservation and exchange of electronic evidence, support effective investigation and prosecution, and uphold human rights and the rule of law.

‘Security must protect liberty, not become an excuse to undermine it. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation remains committed to a whole-of-government and a whole- of-society approach,’ he said.

Also speaking, the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Malam Kashifu Inuwa, said cybersecurity focuses on preventing attacks while cyber resilience involved the ability to recover after an attack.

‘In the age of AI today, it is very difficult defending or attacking with AI itself because you need to think of attacking and defending using AI because AI has many sophisticated tools for the attackers as well as for the people.

‘Organisations need to defend themselves as well and it all depends on how we use it.

‘This year’s conference is going to look at it beyond just defending infrastructure because today, cyber security is beyond infrastructure.

‘We need to look at how we can defend our minds because hackers focus more on hacking people than systems and it is easier to hack people to get what you want than hacking the system itself,’ Inuwa said.

He added that NITDA was working with the Office of the National Security Adviser and the National Assembly to review the Cybercrimes Act and strengthen the policy framework for cybersecurity.

Speaking, Sen. Shuiabu Salisu, Chairman, Senate Committee on ICT and Cybersecurity, called for greater collaboration among government institutions and stakeholders to address challenges affecting Nigeria’s digital ecosystem.

Salisu proposed a retreat involving relevant ministries, regulatory agencies, security institutions and other stakeholders to identify shared priorities and develop coordinated strategies.

He also advocated the development of a national cyber resilience index to assess organisations’ security capabilities and provide a framework for measuring and improving their preparedness against cyber threats.

Dr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner, Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), emphasised the importance of building trust through data protection and privacy in the age of AI.

In his presentation, titled ‘Trust by Design: Data Protection and Privacy in the Age of Artificial Intelligence’, Olatunji said that AI-enabled data breaches cost an average of six million dollars, about one million dollars above the global average.

According to him, one in four malicious data breaches was AI-enabled, representing a 56 per cent year-on-year increase, while 43 per cent of breaches involved unapproved or unsecured AI tools.

‘Building trust requires regulators to establish clear rules, developers to integrate privacy and security into AI systems, and organisations to assess risks and demonstrate compliance.

‘Citizens also need to understand and exercise their data protection rights, make informed choices and report suspected misuse of personal information,’ he said.

He said trust should be embedded in the design and deployment of AI systems rather than treated as an afterthought.

The conference was attended by over 700 participants, about 200 organisations, academia, industry, policy makers, among others

APC widens Tinubu’s re-election campaign council with fresh appointments

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has expanded President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 presidential campaign structure with fresh appointments to its Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), ahead of the January 16, 2027, presidential election.

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Felix Morka, APC national publicity secretary, announced the supplementary appointments in a statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, saying the new list covers leadership and membership positions across key campaign structures.

Morka said the appointments cut across directorates, sectoral groups, mobilisation structures and operational units of the PCC.

‘The supplementary list contains additional appointments of leaders and members across various directorates, sectoral groups, mobilisation structures and operational units of the PCC,’ he said.

He said the party was committed to improving coordination among the different components of the campaign council as it prepares for the presidential election.

‘Our great Party reiterates its commitment to ensuring effective coordination among the various components of the PCC as preparations remain in top gear for the 2027 general election,’ Morka said.

FEC approves N45.08bn biosecurity system for five international airports

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a N45,080,800,000 national biosecurity and response system at five international airports to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to detect and contain infectious diseases entering the country.

The project, approved under a 20-year public-private partnership arrangement with Biohealth Consortium, will cover international airports in Lagos, Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, disclosed this on Wednesday while briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the Council meeting presided over by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Pate said the approval came amid heightened concern over cross-border disease threats and efforts to prevent community transmission following the detection of an Ebola case in Nigeria.

According to him, the patient recovered after receiving treatment in the country and had returned to her home country, while identified contacts remained under quarantine and monitoring.

The minister said the airport biosecurity project, which had been in preparation for two years, would strengthen early warning, detection and response through technology and improved coordination among relevant agencies.

He said more than 18 million passengers pass through Nigeria’s airports annually, underscoring the importance of stronger surveillance at entry points.

The system will include aircraft wastewater surveillance, air and surface sampling units, and cargo and baggage biosurveillance technologies to detect pathogens that might otherwise enter unnoticed.

‘This is not Ebola. It is all pathogens of huge public health threats,’ Pate said.

The project will also establish a national surveillance operations centre to serve as a central command-and-control facility for real-time surveillance, data integration, incident monitoring, and response coordination.

Laboratory facilities for field diagnostics will be deployed at entry points, alongside infrastructure to facilitate information sharing and cooperation among agencies.

Pate listed participating agencies to include the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Port Health Services, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

He said the five airports were selected for the initial deployment based on passenger traffic, exposure to biosecurity risks and geographical spread.

Explaining the concession structure, the minister said the private partner would design, finance, build, deploy, operate and maintain the system throughout the concession period.

The Federal Government, he added, would provide policy, institutional and regulatory support, as well as oversight to ensure that national objectives were met.

At the end of the concession, the system and its assets will revert to federal ownership under the terms of the agreement, as reviewed and endorsed by the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC).

Pate said the initiative would improve decision-making, inter-agency coordination and compliance with international health regulations, while expanding the technologies available to agencies operating at entry points.

He stressed that preventing outbreaks was essential to both public health and economic stability.

‘Improving biosecurity at the points of entry, particularly at the airports, is so critical to our health security, not only for public health but also for economic security, because when pathogens come and disrupt, economic activities also suffer’, he said.

Responding to a question on financial support for people quarantined following contact with the Ebola patient, Pate said the measure was intended to encourage compliance and prevent community transmission.

He explained that contacts who depended on daily earnings could face pressure to leave quarantine to provide for their families, potentially exposing others if they developed the infection.

‘They have a livelihood, and you ask them to stay in quarantine. They have a family’, he said.

The minister described the support as a targeted containment measure, stressing that it would not automatically apply if the virus spread widely in the community.

‘Our goal is to contain it. We don’t want to be in a situation whereby we have community transmission’, he said.

Pate said officials identified contacts and placed them under quarantine within hours of confirming the case. Some initially stayed in home isolation before being transferred to designated facilities for closer monitoring.

He said the contacts would remain under observation for 21 days to establish whether they had contracted the virus.

‘We are not taking any chances. We may succeed, or one or two unfortunate cases may be affected. But if that is the case, we’ll rapidly get on top of it’, he said.

According to the minister, there was no positive Ebola case within Nigeria’s territory at the time of the briefing, following the recovery and departure of the patient.

He said, however, that continued vigilance was necessary to prevent new cases from entering the country and to ensure a swift response to any infection detected among those under observation.

‘We are a large country, and we don’t want to have Ebola circulating or other pathogens that may pose a threat to our population’, Pate said.

Umrah: Atiku demands daily photo, video proof from Tinubu

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Tinubu of using his announced Umrah pilgrimage as a smokescreen or subterfuge, saying credible intelligence available to him points to France as the President’s actual destination.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said there was reason to believe President Tinubu might just make a brief appearance in Makkah before proceeding to France.

He also raised questions about whether the trip is connected to the President’s health and a reported $20 billion loan request involving a French business partner.

Atiku called on the Presidency to address these concerns and disclose the President’s full itinerary.

He said that if President Tinubu is truly traveling to pray for Nigeria, the Presidency should release clear, current, date-stamped photographs and videos each day showing him at the Kaaba and participating in the rites of Umrah.

Nigerians, he said, deserve verifiable proof of the President’s presence in Makkah and a transparent account of his daily activities in the Holy Land.

Atiku said he and other Nigerians would join President Tinubu in salat and prayers for the peace and progress of the country.

He cautioned that no one should invoke the name of Almighty Allah in vain, adding that a spiritual mission undertaken on behalf of the nation must be treated with seriousness and transparency.

Atiku said an official trip presented as a mission for Nigeria is a matter of public interest.

Nigerians are entitled to know the President’s daily engagements and how the trip is being funded.

He urged the Presidency to answer these questions plainly and provide the evidence the country deserves.

Protecting vision before it changes: The Medical City South Luzon launches one-stop Eye Center

Many serious eye conditions, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration, can develop without noticeable symptoms in their early stages. By the time vision changes become apparent, some damage may already be irreversible.

To help address this challenge, The Medical City (TMC) South Luzon has launched its Eye Center, a specialized facility offering comprehensive eye examinations, diagnostic services, and medical and surgical treatments for patients of all ages.

The center brings together ophthalmologists and subspecialists, diagnostic equipment, and treatment capabilities in one location, allowing patients to access a wider range of eye care services without having to visit multiple clinics.

Its services cover pediatric ophthalmology, retinal and macular diseases, glaucoma, neuro-ophthalmology, and refractive conditions, as well as other concerns affecting eye health.

Detecting eye diseases before vision loss

Early detection is particularly important for conditions such as glaucoma, which damages the optic nerve and can cause permanent vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy, meanwhile, can damage the blood vessels of the retina, sometimes before patients notice changes in their sight.

Dr. Cesar Ramon G. Espiritu, president and CEO of TMC South Luzon and an ophthalmologist, emphasized the importance of screening and early intervention, particularly among people with diabetes.

‘If you look at diabetics who are type 2, you even have one-fourth of the population already with retinopathy. It’s very important that we detect these diseases early. And that’s why here, at the Eye Center of TMC South Luzon, it has already been a routine to have a fundus photograph of the eye, because that’s where glaucoma and diabetes manifest early,’ Espiritu said.

He explained that the center uses a camera that can capture retinal images without requiring pupil dilation in appropriate cases, making the examination more convenient for patients.

‘We do it with a camera that doesn’t need drops to dilate the pupils, so it’s very comfortable for the patient. And the patients go home without any effect on the vision,’ he added.

The center offers comprehensive eye assessments, including visual acuity testing, eye pressure measurement, slit lamp examinations, dilated fundus examinations, and evaluations for dry eye. Specialized diagnostic procedures include optical coherence tomography (OCT), retinal photography, visual field testing, corneal topography, pachymetry, and ocular ultrasonography.

These examinations help ophthalmologists assess different structures of the eye, identify abnormalities, and determine the appropriate next steps for diagnosis and treatment.

Specialized care at every stage of life

The Eye Center also provides services for children and adults with different eye care needs.

Pediatric ophthalmology services address conditions such as significant refractive errors and strabismus, or misalignment of the eyes. The center also offers assessment and care for retinopathy of prematurity, a potentially serious retinal condition affecting some premature infants.

For adults, its subspecialty services include the evaluation and management of retinal and macular diseases, glaucoma, and neuro-ophthalmological conditions.

Patients requiring more specialized intervention can access treatment options such as cataract surgery using selected intraocular lenses, YAG laser procedures, glaucoma laser therapy, and retinal laser treatments for appropriate conditions.

The center also offers diagnostic and treatment services for dry eye, including TearLab testing and BlephEx eyelid treatment.

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By integrating assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, the facility aims to make specialized eye care more accessible and convenient for patients.

Knowing when to seek an eye examination

Espiritu stressed that regular eye examinations are important even when vision appears normal. Screening schedules should be tailored to a person’s age, medical history, risk factors, and existing eye conditions.

People with diabetes, in particular, need regular retinal examinations because diabetic retinopathy may progress without obvious symptoms. Those with high blood pressure should also discuss appropriate eye examinations with their healthcare providers.

Children with suspected eye misalignment, significant vision difficulties, or other concerns should be evaluated promptly. Premature infants may require specialized retinal screening based on their clinical circumstances.

Sudden changes in vision, flashes of light, a sudden increase in floaters, or eye pain warrant urgent medical assessment, as these symptoms may indicate conditions that require immediate attention.

With its team of ophthalmologists, diagnostic capabilities, and range of medical, laser, and surgical services, the TMC South Luzon Eye Center seeks to provide a coordinated approach to eye health, from initial assessment to treatment and follow-up care.

Cracking down on cartels starts with better food data

The release of the Philippine Competition Commission’s (PCC) decision on the onion cartel case shows the extraordinary effort required to go after traders who supposedly gamed the system to increase their profits. (See, ‘Onion cartel’s P1.76-B bill unpaid, still growing-PCC,’ in the BusinessMirror, October 15, 2026). The case first captured the attention of the nation in late 2022, when the price of a kilo of onion skyrocketed to as high as the daily minimum wage of a worker in Metro Manila. The holiday season and the reopening of the economy were cited as among the chief reasons for the spike in the price of a popular ingredient.

It took the government almost four years to conclude that a cartel was behind the unusual rise in the price of onions. PCC defines ‘cartel’ as an association of businesses in the industry colluding with one another to substantially prevent, restrict, or lessen competition. In the decision it issued last October 1, PCC charged that certain importers and distributors colluded to drive up the prices of onion to as much as P800 per kilo in December 2022.

The process undertaken by the PCC is proof of the difficulties faced by the state and other stakeholders in preventing schemes that put the local farm sector and the consumers at a disadvantage. For one, the high retail prices did not translate into extra earnings for farmers. While onions are not as important as rice in the diet of Filipinos, the high prices also contributed to inflation.

Moreover, the case highlighted the support required by concerned government agencies in uncovering such schemes. Protecting farmers and consumers should start at the ports, where imported agricultural products are assessed and examined before they are delivered to end users. Aside from making sure that these products are slapped the correct tariffs and other taxes, those responsible for manning our ports should see to it that the food items are not misdeclared to prevent the importer from paying higher duties.

As for production decisions that would have reduced the country’s reliance on imports, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has activated its own statistics office, which will ‘centralize data for policymaking,’ but this was announced only in August. (See, ‘DA activates statistics office,’ in the BusinessMirror, August 24, 2026). The goal of AgriStat, according to the agency, is to adopt modern technologies to support the agency’s data-driven decision-making. Prior to this, however, there was no mechanism that would have allowed both the national and local governments to monitor the flow of agricultural goods in the country.

This oversight and other loopholes in the domestic food trade have been exploited by unscrupulous businessmen for many years and have certainly contributed to the declining share of the agricultural sector to the country’s GDP. Despite its potential to prop up the economy, the Philippine farm sector could not raise its contribution to GDP partly because of the fragmented agriculture data system and the inability of farmers to get accurate information that would guide their production decisions. It also does not help that the state could not penalize more traders that have been exploiting the weaknesses of the sector for their own gain.

Govt targets 12,000 out-of-school children for skills training, says minister

The Federal Government has announced plans to train 12,000 out-of-school children and equip them with skills for specific jobs.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Bernard Doro, said the children would be trained and certified for specific jobs to enable them to contribute to the economy.

Doro said this when he hosted a delegation from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), Nigeria, led by its Regional Director for West and Central Africa, Ms. Sylvia Ekra, in his Abuja office.

In a statement by the ministry’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Janet Noah, the minister said the programme would adopt special teaching methods because some of the children might have outgrown the conventional school teaching stage.

He said the programme is expected to cost $20 million, adding that four foundations had indicated interest in supporting the initiative.

Doro said the proposed training programme was part of the ministry’s efforts to reform the humanitarian sector, reduce poverty, and help vulnerable Nigerians achieve stability.

The minister said the ministry was working towards fulfilling its vision and mission in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which is geared towards lifting poor Nigerians out of poverty.

He also announced that the One Humanitarian One Poverty Reduction System (OHOPRS) programme was awaiting the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approval.

According to him, OHOPRS is designed to connect humanitarian assistance and social protection from the beginning to the end, providing what he described as a poverty graduation pathway.

Doro explained that the system would coordinate interventions at the federal and subnational levels to promote greater synergy and achieve better results.

The minister said the ministry was working on 20 models to help identify vulnerable people and guide them through pathways to stability.

He urged fellow Nigerians in the diaspora to support the ministry’s efforts to lift vulnerable people out of poverty by liaising with the office.

Doro also advocated the establishment of a National Economic Trust Fund, expressing the hope that the Federal Government, development partners, and philanthropists would come together to finance the proposed fund for humanitarian purposes.

The minister hailed the IOM for its contributions to humanitarian services in Nigeria and congratulated the organisation on its achievements over the past 25 years.

He expressed hope that the next 25 years would be more fruitful and beneficial to humanity through continued partnership with the ministry.

Ekra attributed IOM’s progress in Nigeria to its friendly partnership with the government and people of Nigeria, particularly the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction.

She expressed hope that the organisation would support the ministry in implementing the OHOPRS programme and support the proposed humanitarian trust fund.

SROL Champions Responsible Mining at Nigeria Mining Week 2026

Segilola Resources Operating Limited (SROL), a subsidiary of Thor Explorations Ltd and operator of Nigeria’s first commercial gold mine, reaffirmed its commitment to responsible mining at Nigeria Mining Week (NMW) 2026, where it participated as a Diamond Sponsor.

Held from October 12th to 14th at the Abuja Continental Hotel, the 11th edition of NMW brought together government representatives, investors, mining companies and technical experts to fully explore this year’s theme of ‘unlocking investment and growth through partnerships’ and building capacity across the mining value chain. The event was hosted by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria in partnership with PwC Nigeria.

Delivering the keynote address at the main conference, SROL’s Country Manager, Austin Menegbo, noted that the success of the Segilola Gold Mine is operating proof that successful commercial gold mines can be built and operated in Nigeria and also highlighted the importance of patient capital, technical discipline, effective regulation and strong community partnerships in establishing a commercially viable mining industry in Nigeria.

He said: ‘The opportunity before Nigeria is significant. But potential, by itself, creates no jobs, earns no export revenue, builds no skills and transforms no communities. Potential becomes valuable only when institutions and industry work together to convert it into responsible production. Segilola has shown that this can be done. Our responsibility now is to make the path clearer for the projects that should follow-not by lowering the bar, but by making the rules coherent, the processes credible and the partnerships real. If we do that, Nigeria will not merely have a successful gold mine. It will have a stronger mining industry: one that attracts serious capital, rewards responsible operators, expands Nigerian participation and delivers enduring value to the nation.’

SROL’s senior management and technical team also participated in key panel discussions:Menegbo; Madhurii Sarkar-Amoda, Community Development and Stakeholder Manager; Sikiru Haruna, Mines Manager; and David Mbrekpadiaha, Environment Lead, contributed to discussions ranging from beneficiation and refining, responsible mining and maintaining social license to operate across the mine life cycle.

At its masterclass, ‘From Compliance to Stewardship – Water Management: The SROL Way’, SROL shared insights into its approach to water management, recycling and conservation. The session highlighted the importance of integrating water stewardship into mining operations and managing water resources responsibly throughout the mining process.

SROL also delivered ‘Building a Commercial Gold Industry in Nigeria – Lessons from Segilolaand the Path to Scale’, sharing lessons from establishing Nigeria’s first large-scale commercial gold mining operation and exploring opportunities for the wider industry. Through its exhibition booth, the company further engaged stakeholders on environmental stewardship, workplace safety and host community development.

Nigeria’s mining sector offers significant opportunities for economic diversification, job creation and industrial development. Realising this potential will require investment, effective regulation, local capabilities and responsible environmental management.

SROL’s participation at NMW 2026 reinforces its commitment to sharing operational expertise, advancing responsible mining practices and supporting the development of a competitive mining industry that creates lasting value for Nigeria and its communities.

Nigeria’s Sugar Council seeks local offtake guarantees to attract investors

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has called on beverage manufacturers to guarantee the purchase of locally produced sugar, saying predictable demand and stable policies are critical to attracting the investments needed to achieve Nigeria’s sugar self-sufficiency target.

Kamar Barkin, chief executive officer of the NSDC, said the country’s sugar industry requires about $7bn in investment to achieve full self-sufficiency, while successful implementation of the Nigerian Sugar Master Plan could create 110,000 jobs, benefit about one million Nigerians and save the country $1bn annually in sugar import costs through backward integration.

Speaking at a panel session on Nigeria’s industrial policy, sectoral reforms and measurable economic outcomes at the 32nd Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Tuesday, Barkin said investors needed confidence that locally produced sugar would have a ready market.

He noted that sugar investments typically take about four years before generating cash flows, making policy stability and guaranteed demand important considerations for businesses committing capital to the sector.

‘One is you need to be able to commit to guarantee off-take of locally produced goods. I know some of this is already happening, but you need to reconcile the matter of policy, as it were, to commit to and to off-take because that’s what’s going to give the financiers the confidence.

‘In those four years, the private sector investors will need to see stable demand during this period. At the same time, they want to see stable policies.

‘We are talking about people who, in total, they’re probably going to see about seven billion dollars of investments in order to get to full self-sufficiency. These are not small numbers.

‘When it is successfully implemented, what does the Nigerian sugar master plan do? It will create 110,000 jobs. This will impact about one million Nigerians,’ he said

Barkin urged beverage manufacturers to support local production through off-take agreements, backward integration and investments in host communities, stressing that stronger links between sugar producers and industrial consumers would help deepen domestic value chains.

‘The achievement of backward integration of Nigeria, it will save Nigeria every year a billion dollars in importation of sugar from backward integration. These are numbers that are not inconsequential by any standard of imagination,’ he added.

The sugar industry’s concerns come amid broader calls from manufacturers and business groups for greater consistency in government policies, better coordination among regulatory agencies and improved engagement with the private sector to reduce uncertainty around investment decisions.

Zahrah Audu, director-general of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), said policy stability and predictability were essential to creating a business environment in which investors could plan and commit resources with confidence.

She stressed the need for government to engage stakeholders before introducing policy changes, warning against what she described as the ‘surprise element’ in policymaking.

Audu said businesses needed a clear, publicly accessible and preferably digital directory of government policies across sectors. Such a platform, she explained, would enable businesses and policymakers to identify existing rules, cross-reference their implications and reduce the risk of conflicting regulations.

She also said PEBEC had a digital reporting platform through which businesses could escalate challenges involving 69 business-facing ministries, departments and agencies, with responses expected within 72 hours.

According to her, the council is also working to improve coordination between federal and subnational governments and address illegal checkpoints and unauthorised fees that increase the cost of doing business.

Manufacturers at the session said inconsistent regulations and weak coordination across federal, state and local governments continued to raise operating costs and weaken the predictability required for long-term investment.

Segun Ajayi-Kadir, director-general of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), said manufacturing accounted for about 8 per cent of Nigeria’s real gross domestic product, while the sector’s share of exports remained below 2 per cent in the first quarter of 2026.

He also cited manufacturing capacity utilisation below 60 per cent, underscoring the difficulties confronting producers seeking to expand output and compete in domestic and international markets.

Ajayi-Kadir called for predictable fiscal policies, regulatory coherence across all levels of government, reliable electricity, better logistics and the development of industrial parks to support manufacturing growth.

He presented the Nigeria Industrial Policy Sectoral Competitiveness and Growth Initiative as part of efforts to strengthen the sector’s contribution to economic growth and exports.

Amaka Onyemelukwe, senior director at Coca-Cola Nigeria, said the non-alcoholic drinks sector contributed 46 per cent of manufacturing GDP across its operations and 33 per cent of total manufacturing output, while supporting 1.9 million jobs.

She said the sector also contributed about N386m daily in sugar-sweetened beverage taxes, excluding other taxes such as value-added tax and company income tax.

‘Nigeria does not need less regulation or less revenue. We simply need smarter and better coordinated policy,’ Onyemelukwe said.

She identified the cumulative effect of regulatory requirements, including traceability systems, excise tax stamps and multiple haulage taxes, as a concern for businesses. She called for regulatory impact assessments and better coordination to ensure that new requirements did not impose unnecessary costs on producers.