NASCO Group secures US$100M financing for Cameroon sugar refinery
The planned refinery is expected to boost local sugar production, create jobs and strengthen Cameroon’s agro-industrial supply chain by 2028.
CAMEROON – NASCO Group has secured financing from Société Générale and CCA-Bank to begin civil engineering works on a new US$100 million (about 58 billion CFA francs) sugar refinery in Cameroon, marking a significant investment aimed at strengthening the country’s domestic sugar industry.
Scheduled for completion in 2028, the refinery will have an annual production capacity of 300,000 tonnes of refined sugar, positioning it to help reduce Cameroon’s dependence on imported sugar while improving national supply.
The investment comes as Cameroon continues to face a structural sugar deficit. National demand is estimated at approximately 300,000 tonnes per year, while local production has consistently fallen short of that level, prompting authorities to authorize periodic sugar imports to meet domestic consumption.
According to the project promoters, the refinery’s planned output would be sufficient to satisfy the country’s annual sugar demand if production targets are achieved.
The project forms part of NASCO Group’s broader strategy to expand its presence in industrial development, agro-processing and energy. Once operational, the refinery is expected to generate employment opportunities, support agricultural development and strengthen supply chains linked to sugarcane cultivation and processing.
Industry estimates indicate that Cameroon’s existing sugar production ranges between 120,000 and 160,000 tonnes annually, leaving a significant gap between local output and national demand.
The new refinery is therefore expected to substantially increase the volume of locally processed sugar available on the domestic market.
To sustain the refinery’s targeted production capacity, the project will require the establishment of an extensive sugarcane supply network.
Reports indicate that securing adequate raw material supplies will be a key priority as construction advances toward the plant’s planned commissioning in 2028, supporting long-term operations and strengthening Cameroon’s agro-industrial value chain.
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