The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has signed agreements with four operators to develop new sugar estates to collectively produce 400,000 metric tonnes annually.

Executive secretary of NSDC, Kamar Bakrin made the disclosure in Abuja on Tuesday adding that the agreements were part of efforts by the council to reduce Nigeria's reliance on sugar imports.

He stated that the agreements would see Brent Sugar in Oyo, Niger Foods in Niger, Legacy Sugar in Adamawa, and UMZA in Bauchi state each develop 100,000-tonne capacity facilities.

The NCDC boss said that the initiative marked a significant step in the council's drive to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production and conserve foreign exchange spent on imports.

"The geographic spread from Nigeria's Southwest to Northeast reflects a deliberate strategy to leverage diverse agricultural conditions and distribute economic benefits across regions," Bakrin said.

"The agreements, signed at NSDC's Abuja headquarters, represent a significant scaling of Nigeria's sugar development ambitions.

"Under the terms, the council will provide customised project development support and cover critical service costs to ensure that the ventures achieve commercial viability.

"This expansion builds on Nigeria's increasingly aggressive approach to sugar sector development." he explained.