Dangote Sugar secures global food safety certification

…Targets 1.5m tons of sugar per annum.

Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc has obtained the Food Safety Systems (FSSC 22000) Certification).

The certification which is fully recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) comes on the heels of other standards already obtained by the refinery such as the ISO 9001:2008, ISO 22000:2005 and ISO OHSAS 18001:2007.

According to the company, the recommendation for DSR’s FSSC 22000 certification was given in November 2015, after series of processes, followed by internal and surveillance audits conducted by the SGS, a world leading Food Safety certification and standards organisation.

The Acting Group Managing Director, Dangote Sugar Refinery, Abdullahi Sule explained that the feat was part of the company’s strategic plan to meet its customer’s needs using good manufacturing practices, enhanced food safety culture and management systems, as well as to sustain its frontline position in the sugar sub-sector in line with internationally accepted practices and standards.

He added that the certifications would boost consumer confidence in the brand, as well as help eliminate production loss time in its refinery.

This, according to him would ultimately enhance its market share in the industry.

“Dangote Sugar Refinery already has the Food Safety Management Systems certification (NIS ISO 22000:2005) issued by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

“The Food Safety Management System is a standard that guides the refinery’s core business, the refining of high-quality sugar using safe practices to manufacture finished product using hygienically habits in the production processes.

He explained that the Food Safety Management System, FSMS, (ISO 22000:2005); certification was the third in the series of ISO certification on Quality, Process Safety/Security and Food Safety, achieved by the firm, noting that the company is the only sugar organisation in the country with three ISO certification.

“In addition to the Food Safety Management System, (FSMS) ISO 22000:2005; Dangote Sugar Refinery is also ISO 9001:2008 Quality Management System (QMS), and ISO 18001:2007 Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS), certified.

“These certifications attest to Sugar Refinery’s relentless efforts at achieving its set goal to be one of the world’s leading integrated sugar producers, with high-quality products and using best practices in the day to day running of its operations, in line with internationally accepted standards,” he added.

He pointed out that the company is actively pursuing a backward integration master plan with a target of producing a total of 1.5 million tons of sugar per annum.

The target, according to him, was to enable the firm meet the national sugar master plan. The firm also plans an additional investment of N180 billion for 4 factories in Sokoto and Kebbi States and has 150,000 hectares of land allocated for the project in Kogi, Kwara, Jigawa, Sokoto, Taraba and Kebbi states.

“Dangote Sugar acquired the moribund 50, 000 tons per annum capacity sugar producing factory-the Savannah Sugar Company Limited in Numan, Adamawa State in 2002. The buy-over, midwife by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), was the fallout of the failure of several attempts made by the Federal Government to reposition the nation’s foremost sugar company.