E-Malt.com News article: Nigeria: Nigerian Breweries pilots local barley farming

Nigerian Breweries Plc has successfully cultivated locally grown barley as part of efforts to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported malted barley and strengthen domestic agricultural supply chains, MSME Africa reported on March 9.

The company showcased the results during its Maltina Barley Field Day in Ringim, presenting progress from the pilot phase of the Maltina Barley Programme, an initiative designed to build a sustainable barley value chain while creating new opportunities for smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria.

Nigeria currently imports about 200,000 tonnes of malted barley annually for brewing and beverage production. Through the pilot programme, more than 1,000 smallholder farmers cultivated barley this season, with expected output exceeding 1,000 tonnes.

Participating farmers received quality seeds, fertilisers and mechanised services through partnerships with OCP Africa and Hello Tractor. The brewer also guaranteed off-take for the harvested crop to ensure stable market access for farmers.

The project followed years of research and development carried out in partnership with Lake Chad Research Institute and Secobra Research to adapt barley to the soil and climate conditions of Northern Nigeria. Three climate-adapted varieties — Traveller, Explorer and Prunella were officially registered in 2024 by the National Agricultural Seed Council.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Breweries, Thibaut Boidin, described the initiative as a long-term investment in Nigeria’s agricultural transformation.

He said scaling production will require sustained collaboration between government and the private sector, particularly in areas such as irrigation infrastructure, mechanisation, access to farm inputs and extension services.

Supply Chain Director at Nigerian Breweries, Federico Agressi, noted that the programme could help introduce barley as a new crop within Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem while improving rural incomes.

A joint study conducted with IDH and Dalberg identified more than 400,000 hectares of farmland suitable for barley cultivation across Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau and Yobe states.

The project has also secured £330,000 in climate-smart agriculture funding from the UK-funded Propcom+ to support the 2026 production season.

Looking ahead, Nigerian Breweries plans to integrate about 20,000 farmers into the barley value chain by 2030, as part of its strategy to localise raw material sourcing and strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural supply chain.


09 March, 2026