Nigeria eats far more honey than it makes, and the government is now trying to close the gap. The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, has committed to integrating beekeeping into the National Livestock Growth Acceleration Strategy, using it to strengthen the honey value chain, expand market access and draw in women and youth, according to the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, which reported his keynote at the 2026 World Bee Day celebration in Abuja.
A Gap Filled by Imports
The scale of the shortfall is stark. Nigeria's honey consumption stands at about 380,000 metric tonnes a year against production of only around 15,000 metric tonnes, leaving a gap of roughly 365,000 metric tonnes that is currently serviced by honey imported from Europe and Asia, according to data published by the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Systems, which valued the domestic apiculture sector at ₦36.8 billion. The same data shows more than half of all honey consumed in Nigeria is consumed in Lagos.
Building the Skills
States are starting to act on that opportunity. Kwara trained 50 residents in modern beekeeping under its Livestock Entrepreneurship Scheme, teaching hive management, honey harvesting and market access, according to reporting on the programme, which described beekeeping as one of Nigeria's underused agricultural opportunities despite its strong income and export potential.
With Lagos accounting for the largest share of national honey demand, local production has a clear market waiting. FoodPrices Nigeria tracks verified retail prices across Lagos markets and follows the efforts to replace imports with home-grown supply.