Nigerian Breweries Plc announced on Mar. 11 the successful cultivation of locally grown barley at its Maltina Barley Field Day in Ringim, Jigawa State, marking a significant step toward reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported malted barley.
The development is important as Nigeria currently imports about 200,000 tons of malted barley each year. The company’s Maltina Barley Programme aims to localize this supply chain and create new opportunities for smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria. Over 1,000 smallholder farmers participated in the pilot phase this season, with an expected yield exceeding 1,000 tons. Farmers received support through a structured off-taker guarantee and access to quality seeds, fertilizers, and mechanized services via partners such as OCP Africa and Hello Tractor.
The project builds on research with the Lake Chad Research Institute and French breeder Secobra Research. This collaboration led to the registration of three high-yield, climate-adapted barley varieties—Traveler, Explorer, and Prunella—by the National Agricultural Seed Council in 2024. Despite these advances, Nigerian Breweries Plc said that scaling up production will require urgent investments in irrigation infrastructure and mechanization.
“The Maltina Barley Project is a long-term commitment. It is a marathon, not a sprint,” said Thibaut Boidin, Managing Director/CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc. “For this reason, sustained government partnership will be critical, particularly in the areas of irrigation infrastructure, mechanisation, access to quality inputs, and extension support.”
Federico Agressi, Supply Chain Director at Nigerian Breweries Plc said: “The Maltina Barley Program represents a strategic opportunity to introduce a new crop into Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem, which will support economic diversification and strengthen local industry. With proven agronomic feasibility, strong market demand, and sustained stakeholder engagement, this program can transform Nigeria’s barley industry and create meaningful prosperity for thousands of rural farming households.”
A joint study with IDH and Dalberg identified over 400,000 hectares suitable for barley across several states including Jigawa and Bauchi. The programme has also attracted £330,000 from the UK-funded Propcom+ initiative for the upcoming season. Nigerian Breweries aims to integrate 20,000 farmers into the value chain by 2030 but stressed that achieving this goal depends on continued public-private collaboration and policy stability.
Nigerian Breweries operates as part of the Heineken Group according to the official website. The company expanded with breweries in Aba, Kaduna, Ibadan and Enugu according to its official website, contributing to innovation and market leadership within Nigeria’s beverage industry as reported by its official website. In addition to its operations in Lagos and other cities according to its official website, Nigerian Breweries merged with Consolidated Breweries in 2014 according to its official website and is known for brands such as Heineken, Gulder, Maltina and Amstel Malta according to its official website.