NSDC Faces House Committee Over Sugar Import Discrepancies

The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) was questioned by the House of Representatives' committee on finance over discrepancies in sugar import data and revenue remittances. The committee, chaired by Hon. Jame Falek, expressed concerns regarding the accuracy of the figures presented by the NSDC, which did not seem to reflect the actual volume of sugar imported into Nigeria.

The ongoing revenue monitoring exercise covers the fiscal years 2023 to 2025. In response, NSDC's Executive Secretary, Mr. Kamar Bakrin, clarified that the council does not directly collect revenue from sugar imports, as this is managed by the Nigeria Customs Service, which collects sugar levies at the ports and remits them to the appropriate government accounts.

Bakrin emphasized that the NSDC's role is primarily regulatory and advisory, assisting companies in obtaining import licenses based on compliance levels. However, Falek insisted that the council must establish a reliable mechanism to verify the actual volume of sugar imports into the country.