The Federal Government has unveiled plans to collaborate with the Jigawa State to increase sugar production and achieve self-sufficiency in the sector.

The initiative aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, aiming to boost food production, create jobs, and empower youth for economic growth.

The Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Professor Joseph Utsev, announced the partnership during a courtesy visit from Jigawa’s Governor Umar Namadi in Abuja.

Utsev delineated the proposed partnership as a strategic measure to enhance the quality of life for citizens and committed to conducting a working visit to the sugar factory in Jigawa to evaluate its water supply status.

The visit, he remarked, would enable the ministry to identify potential areas for intervention to improve the factory’s viability and ensure maximum benefit for the populace.

Earlier, the Governor stated that the purpose of the visit was to seek collaboration with the ministry to ensure consistent water supply to the sugar factory.

Namadi noted that steady production at the facility would add value to the state’s economy and contribute to national development.

Reports reveal that Nigeria generates merely a fraction of the sugar it consumes, heavily depending on imports despite possessing substantial refining capacities. This reliance renders the industry susceptible to fluctuations in global prices.

States such as Nasarawa, Jigawa, Kwara, and Adamawa have been earmarked for sugar cultivation, with significant investments in progress, particularly in Nasarawa.