The Department is the Technical arm of the Council. Sugar development is about policy, engineering, agriculture and research. The department deals with private investors in aspects of the viability of their proposals, infrastructure, source of appropriate machinery, assistance to sugarcane outgrowers to produce high quality raw materials for the factories, coordinates research and training on various aspects of the industry.
The Department also liaises with relevant Federal, States, Local Governments or its Agencies, other national and international bodies on technical matters to actualize objectives of the Council.

Functions of the Project department includes but not limited to the following:

• Guiding investors on how to develop their sugar estates
• Review and advice investors on their business plans and sites selection
• Advise investors on the type, capacity and where to source their sugar plants and equipment
• Identification and organization of sugarcane outgrowers (in conjunction with relevant Federal, State, Local Governments and Ministries/Agencies) around the sugar estates
• Arranging and facilitation of credit on farm inputs to sugar cane outgrowers in conjunction with relevant government agencies at all three tiers of government.
• Brokering cane price mechanism between processors and outgrowers
• Coordinating Sugarcane Research Development and Training, Liaising with relevant sugarcane research institutes in and outside the country in developing indigenous improved sugarcane varieties, technology of processing and the training of manpower in the sugar industry
• Liaising with machinery fabricators to improve and develop local technology in sugar processing.
• Coordinating provision of infrastructure – roads, electricity, irrigation water, etc to sugarcane growing areas and factory sites in conjunction with relevant Ministries and Government Agencies at Federal, States and Local Governments and Non Governmental Organisations.
• In conjunction with Planning Department, the Projects Department liaises with relevant agencies to ensure that SON –specified quality of fortified sugar is consumed.
• Liaises with NAFDAC to improve locally produced jaggery for healthy consumption