Production Capacity Utilisation Analysis in a Sugar Refinery in Jigawa State

This research analyses production capacity utilisation at a sugar refinery in Jigawa State, North West Nigeria, identifying the principal constraints on achieving rated capacity and proposing practical improvement measures. Nigeria's sugar industry has been a focus of government import substitution policy, with significant public investment directed toward domestic refining capacity expansion; however, many facilities operate substantially below rated capacity due to a combination of supply-side and operational factors. This study employs a capacity utilisation framework that disaggregates total installed capacity into design capacity, effective capacity, and actual output, calculating capacity utilisation ratios across twelve months of production records. Data collection involved review of production logs, raw cane supply records, and maintenance downtime reports, supplemented by structured interviews with production and engineering management. Results reveal a mean capacity utilisation rate of fifty-three percent against design capacity, with irregular raw cane delivery, frequent boiler downtime, and unscheduled electrical outages identified as the primary constraints. The study applies the Theory of Constraints methodology to rank bottlenecks and formulate a sequenced improvement programme. Recommendations focus on establishing dedicated contracted outgrower schemes, refurbishing the primary boiler system, and procuring a standby generator for critical process stages. Keywords: capacity utilisation, sugar refinery, Theory of Constraints, Jigawa State, industrial bottleneck