The National Sugar Development Council has congratulated Oyo Sugar and Derivatives Industries Limited on reaching commissioning and test-running stage of its factory in Iseyin, Oyo State.

The Council said the milestone is a result of over a decade of financial, technical and institutional support.

The 300 tonnes-per-day greenfield sugar mill was developed under the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan.

It is one of the few new factories built under the plan’s Backward Integration Programme.

The Council commended the promoters and farming communities of Iseyin for moving the project from a cooperative venture to an operational factory.

The NSDC said it funded the procurement of the factory’s core 300 TCD sugar mill at about 1.64 billion naira.

It said additional funding for cane development and operational support brought its total commitment to about 2.2 billion naira.

It said the Oyo State Government contributed about 850 million naira in equity to complete outstanding works.

Executive Secretary of the Council, Kamar Bakrin, said the factory is a result of sustained commitment by the Council, Oyo State Government and the promoters.

He said the Council will remain engaged as the company moves into full commercial production.

He said the project is proof that Nigeria’s sugar sector can be built on locally grown cane.