Nigeria’s BUA Group unveils foods manufacturing complex

Nigeria’s leading industrial conglomerate, BUA Group, has unveiled its state-of-the-art foods manufacturing complex in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, set to be fully operational in October. The $400 million project, comprising three factories - a sugar refinery with an annual capacity of 720,000 metric tons, a flour mill with a capacity of 500,000 tons, and power plants generating a combined 24-megawatt capacity, aims to significantly impact Nigeria's food self-sufficiency journey. In an exclusive interview with CNBC Africa's Christy Cole, Mohammed Lile, the General Manager of BUA Ports and Terminals, shed light on the project's strategic capacity, output, and its crucial role in driving Nigeria towards self-sufficiency in sugar, wheat, and flour production. BUA Group's ambitious backward integration strategies, focusing on sugar plantations in Kwara State and Basa, and an outgrower scheme for wheat cultivation in Kano, are set to reduce reliance on imports and elevate local production efforts. The complex's impressive numbers, including 24-megawatt power capacity, 720,000 metric tons capacity for sugar, and 500,000 tons capacity for flour, signal a monumental shift in the country's food processing industry. However, challenges such as port inefficiencies and delays threaten the project's seamless operation, highlighting the need for prompt resolutions to ensure a timely commissioning. The plant is poised to create numerous job opportunities across various sectors, foster technology transfer, and champion local talent development, emphasizing BUA Group's commitment to driving socio-economic growth in Nigeria. The product lineup from the plant includes refined sugar, Boirares pasta, semolina, and flour, promising quality and locally-sourced ingredients for Nigerian consumers.