Nigeria, Malawi seek engineering, technology, investment partners for biofuels

In Nigeria, officials are planning to send 50 officials to the World Ag Expo in February to seek biofuel investment partners and technological expertise. Nigeria is a major oil producer, but the high price of oil has prompted the federal government to use oil for exports while focusing on the development of biofuels for domestic purposes, including three 20,000 hectare farms set up by the government for ethanol production. In related news, the central government of Malawi is seeking engineering firms to manufacture components for an ethanol-based stove, which the government hopes to use to reduce dependence on charcoal, firewood and paraffin.

In Nigeria, the government of Nasarawa State has allocated $27 million to improve agricultural production including ethanol processing. The state said that it would construct an Agro Export Conditioning Centre at Keffi and establish a cassava ethanol processing plant at Doma, in conjunction with international investors.

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. He added that the national emphasis on biofuels development, carried out as a part of Nigeria’s commitments under the Kyoto Treaty, would put upward pressure on agricultural prices for the next decade. Nigeria has planned $876 million in agricultural development funding over the next four years.

Nigeria has been moving into high gear in ethanol production development. 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. He noted new new sugar plants are being built in Jigawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Kogi and Lagos states.

Nigeria produces 50,000 tonnes of sugar out of a total consumption of 1.176 million tonnes. The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has requested a Presidential Initiative to construct six regional facilities producing 100,000 tons of sugar, 5 Mgy of sugar ethanol, and 25 MW of power for the factory and the national grid.

Malawi has recently increased its biofuels-related activity. Ethco (The Ethanol Company) supplied ethanol and test vehicles to the Malawi government for a 5-year, $1 million study on the impacts of ethanol. Ethco manufactures 2 Mgy at its plant, while Presscane produces 3 Mgy in Chikwawa. Ethco is encouraging the Malawi government to encourage the expanded use of ethanol to offset climate change effects.

Alsop, D1 Oils announced plans late last year to plant more than 80,000 acres with jatropha in Swaziland, Zambia, Madagascar, Mali and Malawi.

Free Subscription to the Daily Biofuels Digest e-newsletter

Related Stories

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 com...

Kwara Casplex to build 30.6 million tonne cassava ethanol capacity in Nigeria

In Nigeria, Kwara Casplex said that it will produce 30.6 million tonnes of cassava ethanol at new production facilities planned for Oyo and Ekiti states. The company said that it would sequester and m...

Malawi introduces Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles

In Malawi, Brazilian flex-fuel vehicles were launched at an event in Blantyre that can use 100 percent ethanol or any blend of ethanol or gasoline. The Malawi department of science and technology and ...

Nigeria’s Ekiti State gives 37,500 acres for cassava ethanol project; state aims to become biofuel hub

In Nigeria, Ekiti State has given 37,500 hectares of land to the Oke-Ayedun cassava ethanol project, for feedstock cultivation. The state governor also pledged to Chinese investors that the state wou...

Africa lacks infrastruture and regulatory framework to be biofuels player at present, says expert

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. Meg...

Malawi government says jatropha biodiesel production will commence in 2009

In Malawi, the government said that the country is on track to commence biodiesel production in 2009 from several jatropha projects underway throughout the country. The government also said that the D...