Nzoia Sugar roars back after seven-month factory upgrade

Nzoia Sugar Factory has resumed milling after seven months of intensive maintenance, marking a significant milestone in its revival journey.

The factory is among four State-owned sugar mills that the government leased to private investors in May this year.

Other factories leased for 30 years include Sony Sugar, Muhoroni Sugar, and Chemilil Sugar. The investors are expected to spearhead turnaround strategies for the mills.

Following the successful completion of maintenance work, Process Manager Isaac Wasike said the factory can now operate at its installed capacity of 3,000 tonnes of cane per day.

The resumption has rekindled optimism among farmers and residents of Bungoma County, who have long awaited the return of smoke to the factory’s chimneys.

The maintenance period, initially projected to last 60 to 90 days, extended to more than 200 days due to what the technical team described as serious dilapidation across the plant. 

“Our initial projection was that the maintenance would last 60 to 90 days. However, once we dismantled the plant and inspected the critical areas, the scope of work increased significantly. We found the entire plant in a deplorable state,” said Wasike.

He revealed that the extensive work included repairs to the main power turbines, mill turbines, roller shells, boiler tubes, and milling units.

Additional work was carried out on cane preparation equipment, automation of critical sections, evaporator sets, and sugar and water pumps. After the overhaul, the expected mill extraction rate now stands at 96 per cent, while the cane-to-sugar ratio has improved to 10:1, attributed to enhanced automation and operational consistency.

“Initially, a lot of sugar was lost due to leakages in the process section. We replaced many worn-out parts with new ones. We do not expect breakdowns like it was the case in the previous regime. High levels of efficiency are what we are witnessing,” Wasike noted.

When West Kenya Sugar Company took over the management of Nzoia Sugar on May 10 2025, the factory was not operational.

For nearly a decade, the mill had struggled to operate without proper maintenance due to financial constraints, resulting in severe machinery failures.

The company currently has 876 employees.

Speaking to The Standard, Chief Executive Officer Sohan Sharma confirmed that the maintenance exercise cost a substantial sum.

“Modernising the factory by installing new equipment was our main priority, and we have successfully achieved that. The next focus is aggressive cane development to guarantee sufficient raw materials for continuous milling,” said Sharma.

Details show that between December 2025 and June 2026, Nzoia Sugar is expected to process 490,000 metric tonnes of cane, sourced from outgrowers and its nucleus estate. 

“This cane is enough to keep the factory running. We have elaborate plans to expand areas under cane and increase yields. Our target is to support farmers to develop 12,500 acres of cane,” Sharma added.

To ensure prompt transportation of cane from farms to the factory, the company has acquired 101 tractors, with an additional 85 expected in the near future.

More than 30 contractors have also been recruited to support harvesting operations.

The CEO said these investments will ensure the daily delivery of at least 3,000 tonnes of cane.

He further assured farmers of prompt payments upon delivery, estimating that Sh100 million will circulate in the local economy every week.

“The future is bright. Nzoia Sugar is poised to uplift the region’s economy. Based on the daily tonnage, we expect to crush about 3,000 tonnes. Sh100 million will be revolving in this county weekly,” said Sharma.

Of the 2,092.23 hectares in the nucleus estate, 1,555.16 hectares have already been developed with cane. The company plans to bring the entire estate under irrigation to boost productivity.

As operations resumed, residents expressed their hopes and expectations.

“We want employment opportunities, prompt payments to farmers, and corporate social responsibility projects that directly benefit us locals,” said Pauline Nekesa.