Okin Biscuits to resume production after 17-year shutdown
The company said biscuits rolled off the rehabilitated production line during a technical trial run, although further testing and rehabilitation are required before the products return to the market.
NIGERIA – Okin Biscuits has achieved a monumental operational milestone, successfully restarting one of its rehabilitated production lines at its flagship manufacturing facility in Offa, Kwara State, for the first time in 17 years.
The historic technical trial run marks a major turning point in reviving one of the West African nation’s most celebrated indigenous fast-moving consumer goods brands.
Company leadership clarified that the initial run was strictly a technical validation to test equipment functionality, not a consumer product trial.
Rebuilding the long-dormant line required significant capital and engineering effort to replace critical infrastructure, including electrical cables, frequency drives, contactors, and industrial motors damaged or stolen during nearly two decades of inactivity.
Engineers focused entirely on mechanical restoration and operational viability rather than immediate recipe compliance, color, or final aesthetic consistency.
In a simultaneous infrastructure boost, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) officially reconnected the Offa factory complex to a high-priority 33kV Band A electricity grid line.
The dedicated power connection provides the high-capacity, reliable energy required to sustain intensive industrial heating, automated conveyor systems, and continuous oven firing throughout the facility’s ongoing restoration phase.
Despite the successful machinery test, management emphasized that additional technical work remains before commercial distribution begins.
The technical team is entering an intensive phase of fine-tuning, system calibration, line rehabilitation, and rigorous quality testing to ensure the final output precisely matches the nostalgic flavor profile and quality standards associated with the heritage brand.
Founded in 1980 by the late industrialist Chief Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye, Okin Biscuits grew into a household staple across Nigeria with popular offerings like Okin Shortcake, Cabin, and Digestive biscuits before operational hurdles forced its closure.
Okin Biscuits grew into one of Nigeria’s best-known indigenous biscuit brands between the 1980s and 1990s before operational and financial difficulties forced its closure, resulting in job losses and reduced economic activity in the surrounding community.
Rehabilitation efforts at the factory, reportedly supported by the Kwara State Government and private investors, had reached an advanced stage by late July 2026, with modern production equipment being installed ahead of the planned restart.
The revival is expected to rekindle consumer interest in the brand and restore manufacturing activity at the Offa facility.
The factory’s revival is widely viewed as a major boost for local employment, manufacturing sentiment, and economic development within Kwara State.
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