Global Biofuels announces $750 million investment in sweet sorghum ethanol project in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Global Biofuels has committed $750 million to the first series of ethanol plants in the country, which will use sweet sorghum as a feedstock and will be constructed in Ekiti State. The company held a ground breaking ceremony this week. PRAJ India, ICRISAT, IAR Samaru, Zaria, Mariano Marcos State University of Philippines, African Development Bank (ADB), UBA Global Markets, Skye Bank Plc and Santrust Securities are said to be working with the company on the project. Seven plants in total will be constructed  in Osun, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna, Ekiti and Oyo states. The venture’s CEO, Dr. Felix Babatunde Obada, said that the venture would create 406,000 jobs.

Nigeria background

The Nigerian federal government has outlawed the use of ethanol after officials proposed the ban because they lack the testing equipment to check on the ethanol blend in shipments reaching the country.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria said that its members are investing $40 million in cassava-based ethanol.

In Switzerland, the managing director of HG Consulting told the Sugaronline conference that Africa lacks the infrastructure and regulatory framework to become a major biofuels exporter at present.

Officials sent 50 Nigerian officials to the World Ag Expo in February to seek biofuel investment partners and technological expertise.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has approved development of the first commercial-scale plant in Nigeria.

The government of Nasarawa State has allocated $27 million to improve agricultural production including ethanol processing.

Recently, Oloche Edache, FAO regional representative for Africa, said that Nigeria will require a 70 to 80 per cent increase in food supplies to meet its food requirements by 2015.

The Minister of Commerce and Industry said last month that Nigeria is building five new sugar plants and has the potential to become a leading ethanol producer.

The Nigerian Cassava Growers Association said that Nigeria will save over $6.1 billion by 2012 on the importation of kerosene and gasoline.

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