Nigeria - Savannah Sugar Rehabilitation Project (SSRP)

The Savannah Sugar Rehabilitation Project (SSRP) is a high priority in the development programme undertaken by the Federal Government of Nigeria (GFN). The project aims to increase the production of refined white sugar from around 20,000 tonnes to 51,000 tonnes per year and molasses from 9,000 tonnes to 2,200 tonnes per year from the 1997/1998 season onwards. This will reduce the level of imports and thus allow foreign exchange savings. The expected results of the project are (i) the rehabilitation and development of irrigated plantations from 5670 to 6800 ha, (ii) the rehabilitation of the factory with an extension of its sugar cane crushing capacity from 1500 to 4000 TJ (iii) the supply of agricultural machinery and other industrial parts and equipment, (iv) the construction and/or rehabilitation of housing, administrative, social and transport infrastructure for the sugar complex. Cultivation and irrigation practices will be improved to increase sugarcane yields.