BUA Sugar Refinery Ltd. said its new US$250-million refinery will be able to produce 1-million tonnes of sugar per annum.

The factory is located at Tincan Island Industrial Estate in Lagos and production is expected to start by the end of April. It will supply high quality sugar to industrial users as well as refined sugar for domestic users.

According to the company, local demand for sugar is between 2.5-million and 3-million tonnes a year, with Dangote supplying around 1.2-million a year. This leaves an excess demand of over 1.2-million a year.

BUA Group Chairman/CEO, Alhaji Abdulsamad Rabiu, added that the sugar industry is very important to manufacturing in Nigeria as it is used in the food and beverages, pharmaceutical and breweries sub-sectors.