Nigeria’s apiculture industry needs a clear capital plan and roughly N36 billion in funding to reach commercial scale. Industry stakeholders, led by Mr. Niyi Adeyemo of the Youth for Agricultural Initiatives, argue that without structured investment, honey production in Nigeria will remain largely informal and underdeveloped. The current awareness of beekeeping has improved, yet the sector lacks the financial and structural depth to transform into a commercially viable industry.
Adeyemo’s assessment makes two central points: first, the absence of workable finance models has blocked banks and investors from entering apiculture; second, targeted funding could unlock productivity, jobs, and broader agricultural benefits. According to him, investment should not be scattered, but directed toward core infrastructure, quality bee stock, and systems that support sustainable growth.
The report highlights the core challenge with the statement, “We have not scaled up to the commercial level in honey production. But in terms of awareness, we have done better.” This underscores how awareness alone does not translate to scale. Adeyemo adds, “Commercial production has not been increased because there’s no access to funds. Before you see a commercial bank or a potential investor in apiculture, they want to know the finance model and how soon they can get returns from their investors.” Without a clear financial roadmap, traditional lenders and private capital remain disengaged.
Adeyemo proposes a state-led commitment model where each state dedicates about N1 billion to apiculture. He states, “However, if we can have each state dedicate like N1 billion to the apiculture sector, the funding is going to have a multi-diversity impact on the sector’s productivity.” This approach, if adopted, would distribute risk, enable pilot commercial clusters, and encourage local ownership of apiculture growth.
At its core, the argument is not about charity but capacity building. Adeyemo stresses, “We need like N36 billion investment to boost Apiculture production in Nigeria.” That capital would underwrite queen bee rearing, supply of high-quality bees, critical infrastructure, and mechanisms to link producers to markets. Structured capital can also reduce entry barriers for new farmers by guaranteeing initial supply capacity and technical support.
Beyond capital, the sector must adopt organization and efficiency. One suggested method is establishing “bee villages” or dedicated estates for large-scale operations. These estates aim to consolidate production, protect investment, and enhance pollination services that benefit wider agriculture. More bees in structured settings mean better cross-pollination, improved crop yields, and stronger food security outcomes.
Nigeria’s honey sector has clear strengths, including growing participation and indigenous expertise, but faces significant weakness in financing and market fragmentation. Challenges such as limited access to start-up capital and inadequate processing tools are well documented in agribusiness studies, which also note market and policy opportunities that remain untapped.
To attract serious capital, apiculture must present bankable project models with predictable returns. Investors will require data, risk mitigation, and clear revenue pathways before committing funds at the scale Adeyemo suggests. With disciplined planning, Nigeria’s honey industry could evolve from craft production to a measurable contributor to rural incomes and national agribusiness output.
