Honeyz Depot, a leading apiculture company in Kwara State, has announced plans to scale local honey production to five tonnes by 2026 and 20 tonnes annually by 2030 in a bid to curb Nigeria’s reliance on imported honey.
The Executive Director, Maryam Mahmud, disclosed that the expansion is part of a broader strategy to boost domestic supply and close the gap between Nigeria’s growing honey demand and local production. The company plans to combine its anchor apiaries with a structured outgrower beekeeper network to expand supply while maintaining strict quality standards.
“Industry data show that Nigeria’s honey market was valued at approximately $63.21 million in 2024, driven by the food, pharmaceutical, and personal care sectors,” Mahmud said. “However, local production meets less than 10 per cent of national consumption, leaving an import gap costing over $2 billion annually.”
Mahmud, who also serves as the lead beekeeper, said she personally supervises all production activities to ensure quality, traceability, and consistency. She added that the planned scale-up would not only strengthen Honeyz Depot’s leadership in Kwara State but also support national import substitution efforts in agriculture.
The expansion is expected to create jobs, improve rural livelihoods, enhance pollination services, and promote sustainable farming practices in host communities. Mahmud highlighted that previous experience in distribution revealed strong unmet demand for high-quality honey across the country.
Honeyz Depot, regarded as the state’s largest honey distributor and operator of Kwara’s only exclusive walk-in honey store, began production three years ago and is preparing to transition to semi-commercial operations to meet the increasing market demand.
