Vacancy Notice - NSDC - Nigeria

Job Title: National Technical Lead – Sugarcane Production & Seed Systems
Organization: National Sugar Development Council (NSDC)
Location: Abuja, Nigeria (with extensive field deployment)
Reports To: Executive Secretary/CEO
Position Type: Full-Time, Senior Leadership

Interested applicants can send their CVs directly to Lade.Offurum@nsdc.gov.ng

STRATEGIC CONTEXT

Nigeria's sugar sector presents a critical paradox: the country imports 98% of its 1.8m tonnes sugar consumption—costing about $1B annually in foreign exchange— sixty years after the first sugar mill was established and despite possessing abundant arable land, favourable climate, and large labour workforce. The country has set a bold national agenda to achieve self-sufficiency over a seven-year period through the National Sugar Master Plan (NSMP). This entails establishing several new integrated sugar estates as well as improving the productivity and capacity utilisation of the existing ones.

Existing sugar estates are entirely dependent on their nucleus sugarcane farms for feedstock which are often inadequate for their processing capacities. Unlike established sugar-producing nations, Nigeria lacks commercial sugarcane farmers outside integrated estates. The farming expertise, financing structures, technical protocols, and extension systems must be built from the ground up. Establishing a national commercial sugarcane farming system is a ley lynchpin strategy of the NSMP.

NSDC has also established the Nigeria Sugar Institute (NSI) to be the Centre of Excellence for applied research and provide the technical underpinning for the transformation of the Sugar sector. This includes mass production of high quality seedcane and seedlings.

The National Technical Lead serves as the integrating force across these initiatives and the primary custodian of Nigeria's sugarcane productivity.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Commercial Outgrower Farms – Direct Operational Management

NSDC's Commercial Outgrower Farming initiative requires intensive, hands-on technical management. These farms must supply existing mills under offtake agreements while establishing a replicable commercial model where none exists.

Operational Planning & Execution:

• Develop comprehensive agronomic strategies and seasonal operational plans for each commercial farm

• Establish yield targets (100+ TC/ha) and quality specifications aligned with mill requirements

• Design and implement field layouts, irrigation systems, and mechanization strategies

• Manage input procurement and application schedules to optimize cost-efficiency

• Oversee harvest planning and logistics ensuring timely delivery within quality parameters Performance Management:

• Deploy real-time monitoring systems tracking operations, inputs, costs, and yields

• Conduct regular farm inspections and implement immediate corrective actions

• Generate detailed performance reports for NSDC management, farmers, and financing partners

• Maintain rigorous documentation to build institutional knowledge Farmer Technical Support:

• Serve as primary technical advisor to commercial outgrower farmers

• Build farmer technical capacity through on-farm training and demonstration activities

• Ensure compliance with offtake agreement specifications and bankability standards

• Provide rapid technical problem-solving and troubleshooting Field Team Leadership:

• Recruit, deploy, and manage field officers and agronomists providing daily oversight

• Establish performance expectations and accountability mechanisms

• Create standard operating procedures for all major farming operations

• Build a culture of operational excellence and continuous improvement

2. Nigeria Sugar Institute – Technical Leadership

Lead NSI’s technical agenda for sugarcane agriculture in the areas of variety selection & adaptation, soil science, disease and pest research, training and extension services.

• Define NSI's research priorities based on commercial farm challenges and national productivity goals

• Oversee NSI demonstration farms and trial plots as reference sites for industry

• Direct development of technical manuals, SOPs, and farmer training materials

• Design NSI's farmer training curriculum aligned with commercial farming requirements

• Use commercial outgrower farms as living laboratories for NSI research validation

• Coordinate NSI engagement with international research institutions

• Establish NSI as West Africa's premier sugarcane training center

3. Seedcane Production & Bud Chip Technology

Industrialize Nigeria's seedcane production system using bud chip technology, ensuring industry access to high-quality, disease-free planting material.

Core Deliverables:

• Implement quality assurance protocols for varietal purity and phytosanitary compliance

• Establish multi-tier seedcane system (nucleus → primary → secondary → commercial)

• Create seedcane distribution systems serving commercial and smallholder farmers

• Design and commission bud chip nurseries with appropriate infrastructure

• Develop comprehensive SOPs for bud chip production, handling, and field planting

• Train nursery operators, field staff, and farmers in bud chip technology

4. Industry Technical Leadership

Estate Farm Advisory:

• Conduct technical audits identifying yield gaps and improvement opportunities

• Provide advisory support on agronomic optimization and factory-farm integration

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Required

Academic: Master's or PhD in Agronomy, Crop Science, Agricultural Engineering, or related discipline (sugarcane specialization preferred)

Professional Experience:

• Minimum 15 years in large-scale commercial sugarcane production

• Proven track record directly managing 5,000+ hectare operations achieving 80+ TC/ha (100+ TC/ha preferred)

• Hands-on operational experience, not solely advisory/consultancy roles

• Expertise in tropical/sub-tropical sugarcane systems including irrigation, mechanization, and factory-farm integration

Technical Expertise:

• Deep knowledge of sugarcane agronomy: varietal selection, planting systems, irrigation, fertilization, pest/disease control, ratoon management, chemical ripening, harvest optimization

• Experience with bud chip technology or rapid multiplication systems

• Proficiency in precision agriculture and farm management information systems

• Understanding of sugarcane quality parameters and sugar recovery (pol%, purity, fiber, CCS)

Leadership:

• Track record building and managing technical teams

• Experience developing extension programs for commercial farmers

• Ability to influence without direct authority in complex stakeholder environments

Preferred

• International experience in major sugarcane-producing regions (Brazil, India, Thailand, Australia, Southern Africa)

• Familiarity with Nigerian agricultural systems and infrastructure realities

• Experience with development finance-supported agricultural projects

• Track record with government agencies or development institutions

• Experience translating R&D into commercial practice

• Published research or recognized thought leadership

• Professional certifications (Certified Crop Advisor, irrigation design, precision agriculture)

CORE COMPETENCIES

Technical Excellence: Mastery of sugarcane production systems; data-driven decision-making; systems thinking connecting field decisions to factory performance; ability to diagnose complex problems

Operational Leadership: Proven delivery in challenging environments; strong project management; comfort with strategic planning and hands-on execution; decisiveness under pressure; team building

Stakeholder Management: Exceptional communication across diverse audiences; cultural intelligence; diplomacy and negotiation; credibility with farming communities; senior-level representation capability

Strategic Vision: Understanding of technical-economic-policy connections; entrepreneurial mindset; ability to design scalable systems; long-term perspective with near-term results; passion for national transformation

This position represents a unique opportunity to drive transformational change in Nigeria's agricultural sector. We seek an exceptional professional who combines world-class technical expertise with operational excellence, entrepreneurial vision, and commitment to national development.