Bature Brewery, Nigeria’s largest craft beer producer, is embarking on an ambitious growth mission, aiming to expand its footprint to 500 retail locations nationwide within the next 18 months.
Co-founder Kevin Conroy, speaking to Reuters, revealed that the brewery—which launched operations in Abuja in 2017—has already secured 70 locations and currently produces 22,000 litres of beer each month. The target, he said, is to scale production up to 100,000 litres monthly by next year.
This aggressive expansion aligns with global trends. According to Business Research Insights, the global craft beer market is forecast to more than triple, reaching over US$250 billion by 2033. This positions independent breweries like Bature to tap into significant market share long dominated by industry titans such as AB Inbev, Diageo, and Heineken.
However, Nigerian brewers face notable hurdles. The sharp devaluation of the naira has driven up the cost of imported brewing ingredients, posing financial challenges to smaller players. Still, opportunities remain substantial—Statista estimates that Nigeria’s overall beer market is worth a staggering US$7 billion annually.
Anticipating rising demand, Bature Brewery has invested in infrastructure upgrades to maintain a consistent supply chain. These include the installation of diesel generators and a water treatment facility to offset the country’s unstable utilities, alongside new fermentation tanks and brewing systems at its Lagos site to scale quickly when needed.
“We know the demand is there,” Conroy said. “We may never match the big corporations, but our goal is to craft the best beer and continue expanding in our unique style. Just 1% of the market would be a win for us—even half of that would be incredible.”
