Abuja — Dangote Group of Companies says it has invested additional N25 billion into the Savannah Sugar Company in Numan, Adamawa State.

President of Dangote Group of Companies Alhaji Aliko Dangote said this at the weekend during the flag off of the harvest season in Numan.

He said Dangote Industries Limited had earlier injected N12 billion into the company since it acquired the factory in 2003.

He said: " Since taking over of the Savannah Sugar Company, the Dangote Industries has invested over N12billion in farms and plant rehabilitation and a further investment of N25 billion in the ongoing plant and farm expansion. Our projection is that within the next three years God willing, both the factory and farm will be expanded to produce 250,000 metric tons of sugar per annum."

Part of the expansion plan for increased sugar production, according to him, will involve incorporating a 75 megawatt cogen power plant, an ethanol processing plant and a 2,000 dairy cattle farm all to be supported by various by-products from the sugar manufacturing process. He said: "Ten million tons of sugarcane will give 1.0 million tons of sugar, 300 megawatts of green electric power, enough to power the whole of North Eastern part of Nigeria; 100 million litres of ethanol and 100,000 metric tons of bio-compost."

He said his company plans to take the total national sugar production to 1million metric tons per annum.

The billionaire investor said his firm is investing in 36,000 hectares in Lau, Taraba State, a 20,000 hectares farm in Hadeja, Jigawa State, and a 25,000 hectares farm in Galala, Bauchi State.

Speaking on the employment opportunities created by the company, Dangote said: "In 2003, we employed close to 700 people. Today during the peak periods, we employed up to 5,000. We estimate that we will be employing 25,000 people when we hit the 25,000 tons mark. Imagine what this means in any economy."

He announced that apart from the numerous social corporate responsibility activities it has been carrying out, it is also building a 100-bed world class hospital on the site that will cater for the staff, host community and the state at large.

The Savannah Sugar Company was established by the Federal Government of Nigeria in 1971 and eventually began operation in 1980.