Okin Biscuits has restarted production at its Offa, Kwara State factory, marking the first time biscuits have come off the line in 17 years. The company is working to bring one of Nigeria's oldest indigenous biscuit brands back to the market.
First Production Run in Nearly Two Decades
The milestone was recorded on Wednesday, when a rehabilitated production line at the facility ran successfully for the first time since the factory went dormant. The return to production followed a lengthy rehabilitation effort to restore the factory after thieves stripped the idle facility of critical equipment, including cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors, and various electronic components during the years it was shut down.
Okin Biscuits described the exercise as a technical trial rather than a commercial run, to establish whether the long-silent machinery could be made operational again. The company said: "At this stage, we were not concerned about colour, appearance or achieving the final Okin recipe. The objective was simple: Can we bring this line, silent for 17 years, back to life? And we did!"
IBEDC Reconnects Factory to Power Grid
On the same day, the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) reconnected the factory to the 33kV Band A electricity grid, a development the company said would support further rehabilitation, testing, and commissioning work at the site, Punch reports.
Despite the successful trial, Okin Biscuits was clear that it is not yet ready for a full commercial comeback. The company said: "There's still work ahead. More testing. More calibration. More rehabilitation. And, of course, getting that familiar Okin taste and quality exactly right before the biscuits return to the market."
Revival Expected to Boost Local Manufacturing
The company described the moment as one worth celebrating, with production machinery running, ovens firing, and biscuits moving off the line again. It added: "One step at a time. Okin is coming back."
ThisDay reports that Okin Biscuits, founded in 1980, built a strong reputation as one of Nigeria's homegrown biscuit makers over several decades. Its revival is expected to rekindle consumer interest and restore manufacturing activity to the Offa facility, contributing to broader efforts to strengthen local production in Nigeria's fast-moving consumer goods sector.
MABISCO Puts Factory Up for Sale
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Mayor Biscuits Company Limited (MABISCO) factory is now up for sale eight months after shutting down the operation. The sale announcement was made by the company's finance director, Segun Matthew. Matthew explained that the plant is open to two sales options: selling the plant or selling the machines.
Some of its famous brands include MABISCO digestive biscuits, MABISCO cookies, MABISCO Cabin Biscuits, and Coconut Biscuits. The plant has packing machines that can do 350 packs per minute.
