Nigerian Breweries Plc (NB Plc ) showcased the successful cultivation of locally grown barley at its Maltina Barley Field Day in Ringim, Jigawa State. This marks a major step towards reducing Nigeria’s reliance on imported malted barley, and building a locally independent supply chain. While the event validated the crop’s genetic and soil compatibility in Northern Nigeria, the company emphasized that scaling production will require urgent ecosystem interventions, particularly in irrigation and mechanization.
Nigeria currently imports approximately 200,000 tons of malted barley annually. The Maltina Barley Programme was designed to localize this supply chain while creating new opportunities for smallholder farmers in Northern Nigeria. This season, over 1,000 small-holder farmers participated in the pilot phase of the program cultivating the crop, with an expected yield exceeding 1,000 tons. The farmers received a structured off-taker guarantee, alongside the provision of quality seeds, fertilizers, and mechanized services through partners like OCP Africa and Hello Tractor.
The success of this foundational harvest builds on extensive Research & Development. In collaboration with the Lake Chad Research Institute (LCRI) and French breeder Secobra Research, the programme successfully adapted barley to Northern Nigerian conditions,, leading to the 2024 registration of three high-yield, climate-adapted barley varieties by the National Agricultural Seed Council: Traveler, Explorer, and Prunella.
Despite this agronomic breakthrough, NB Plc emphasized that the current yield is only the beginning of a long-term agricultural transformation.
“The Maltina Barley Project is a long-term commitment. It is a marathon, not a sprint,” stated Thibaut Boidin, MD/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”.
Speaking on the agronomic and supply chain realities, Federico Agressi, Supply Chain Director at Nigerian Breweries Plc, noted the vast potential of the project if properly supported: “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”.
The potential for expansion is significant. A joint study commissioned with IDH and Dalberg has identified over 400,000 hectares of farmland suited for barley across Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, Plateau, and Yobe states. The programme has also attracted climate-smart agricultural funding, including £330,000 from the UK-funded Propcom+ initiative for the 2026 season.
Nigerian Breweries has set a target to integrate 20,000 farmers into the barley value chain by 2030. However, the company reiterated that achieving this goal will require sustained collaboration across the public and private sectors, alongside investments in irrigation, mechanization and policy stability, including transitional import allowances while domestic production capacity continues to scale.