At a Glance
- Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu are leading Nigeria’s shift from sugar imports to self-sufficiency through high-capacity refineries and large-scale agro-industrial investments.
- Issad Rebrab’s Cevital Group turned Algeria into a sugar-exporting hub with one of the world’s largest refineries, despite recent setbacks from export restrictions.
- Mohammed Dewji and Jean Claude Mimran modernized sugar production in Tanzania and Senegal, driving rural employment, regional development, and national food security.
Africa’s sugar industry has undergone a transformative shift thanks to a cadre of visionary moguls whose firms anchor the continent’s agro-industrial ambitions. From West to East Africa, tycoons like Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu in Nigeria, Issad Rebrab in Algeria, Mohammed Dewji in Tanzania, and Jean Claude Mimran in Senegal have redefined sugar manufacturing through large-scale investment, innovation, and local empowerment.
Aliko Dangote, through Dangote Sugar Refinery, leads a self-sufficiency revolution in Nigeria with a 1.44 million-ton capacity operation. Similarly, Rabiu’s BUA Group leverages vertical integration and strategic partnerships to scale local production and reduce dependence on imports. In North Africa, Issad Rebrab’s Cevital Group runs one of the world’s largest refineries, positioning Algeria as an emerging sugar exporter.
In East Africa, Mohammed Dewji’s MeTL Group has modernized Tanzania’s Mtibwa Sugar, directly impacting rural livelihoods and national food security. Meanwhile, Jean Claude Mimran’s CSS in Senegal exemplifies how agro-industry can drive regional development and mass employment.
Together, these industrialists not only dominate sugar refining but actively reshape Africa’s economic landscape—fueling rural economies, enhancing food sovereignty, and reinforcing the continent’s drive toward industrial self-reliance. Their impact transcends commerce, catalyzing inclusive growth and economic resilience.
- Aliko Dangote
Country: Nigeria
Net worth: $23.3 billion
Aliko Dangote, founder and chairman of Dangote Group, leads Dangote Sugar Refinery, Sub-Saharan Africa’s largest. With a 1.44 million-ton annual capacity, the company drives sugar self-sufficiency through large-scale farming, bolstering local employment, agribusiness, and national food security, transforming Nigeria from importer to potential exporter.
Q1 2025 Sugar business performance:
(i) Revenue surged 74.31 percent to N213.9 billion ($133.21 million)
(ii) Net loss of N23.65 billion ($14.72 million) in Q1 2025
(iii) As of March 31, 2025, total assets were N1.045 trillion ($650.91 million).
(iv) Over the same period, accumulated losses widened to N149.35 billion ($92.98 million).
- Abdul Samad Rabiu
Country: Nigeria
Net Worth: $4.7 billion
Abdul Samad Rabiu, founder of BUA Group, has driven Nigeria’s sugar self-sufficiency through BUA Foods Plc. Since 2008, its refineries, including Eastern Sugar and LASUCO, have reduced imports, boosted local production, and created jobs. A 2025 partnership with Agrimac Makina aims to further strengthen Nigeria’s food security.
Q1 2025 Sugar business’ parent performance(BUA FOODS): The sugar business constitute a 47.8 percent of the entire BUA Foods
(i). Revenue surged by 24 percent to N442.1 billion ($275.78 million)
(ii). Net profit rose by 124 percent to N125.28 billion ($78.17 million)
(iii). As of March 31, 2025, total assets were N1.14 trillion ($712.74 million)
(iv). Over the same period, retained earnings grew by 29.76 percent to N546.28 billion ($340.74 million) - Issad Rebrab & Family
Country: Algeria
Net Worth: $3 billion
Issad Rebrab founded Cevital Group, which operates one of the world’s largest sugar refineries, with a 2-million-ton annual capacity. Since 1998, it has helped transform Algeria from a sugar importer to exporter, bolstering food security and industrial growth through a broader agro-industrial complex.
Latest business performance:
In April 2024, the company suspended operations at one of its two sugar refineries in Béjaïa, Algeria. This decision was primarily due to export restrictions on staple food products imposed by the Algerian government, which adversely affected Cevital’s ability to maintain profitability in its sugar refining operations. - Mohammed Dewji
Country: Tanzania
Net Worth: $2.2 billion
Mohammed Dewji’s MeTL Group owns Mtibwa Sugar, one of Tanzania’s top producers. Acquired in the 2000s, it processes over 130,000 metric tonnes annually. Through tech upgrades and farmer partnerships, Dewji has expanded output, boosted rural jobs, and advanced Tanzania’s push for sugar self-sufficiency.
Latest business performance:
As of the 2024 fiscal year, Mtibwa Sugar Estates Limited, has significantly increased its sugar production capacity. However, in May 2024, an explosion caused by a steam pipe burst resulted in the deaths of 11 workers and led to a temporary suspension of production. Despite this setback, Mtibwa Sugar Estates remains committed to enhancing its production capacity, contributing to Tanzania’s goal of producing one million tonnes of sugar annually by 2030. - Jean Claude Mimran
Country: Senegal (French nationality, Swiss-based)
Net worth: $2 billion
Jean Claude Mimran’s Mimran Group owns Compagnie Sucrière Sénégalaise (CSS), the largest sugar producer in Senegal. Operating in Richard Toll, CSS cultivates over 8,000 hectares of sugarcane and employs thousands during harvest. Under Mimran’s leadership, the group has transformed CSS into a linchpin of Senegal’s agro-industrial economy, fueling regional development and rural employment.
Latest business performance:
As of 2024, CSS remains Senegal’s leading sugar supplier, producing over 100,000 metric tonnes annually. The company continues to invest in mechanization and irrigation systems to boost yields and reduce imports. Richard Toll, once a small town, now thrives with over 60,000 residents—largely due to CSS’s economic impact. Mimran remains influential in West Africa’s sugar industry, even as he steps back from day-to-day operations.
