BUA Foods Managing Director Ayodele Musibau Abioye has projected capacity gains above 50% as the Nigerian food producer expands processing, a claim that comes as food access remains acute for millions.
Abioye outlined the expansion in an Oct. 30 opinion column published by BusinessDay. He said projects involving wheat milling, edible oils, noodle production and existing facilities could lift overall capacity by more than half, with some units potentially doubling. BUA Foods’ FY2025 investor presentation sets a 50% target for the overall planned upgrade and does not reconcile it with Abioye’s higher estimate.
An audited 2025 filing shows that 97.1% of the company’s revenue came from Nigeria. Its unaudited first-half 2026 results filed with Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) reported revenue down 16% from a year earlier to ₦765.1 billion and profit after tax up 12% to ₦292.27 billion for the six months ended June 30, 2026.
Flour revenue fell 27% to ₦276.2 billion, which the company attributed mainly to softer demand. Pasta revenue rose 35% to ₦130.6 billion. BUA Foods said lower raw-material costs and exchange-rate stability helped reduce cost of sales; its gross profit margin reached 47.5%, compared with 37.2% a year earlier.
At an Oct. 17 trade launch in Kano, BUA Foods introduced Bakers Pride Flour for products including gurasa, a Northern Nigerian flatbread, and conventional bread loaves. Abioye has presented lower costs and stronger supply as potential gains for consumers, suppliers and distributors.
Food access varies across the country. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), citing the latest available Cadre Harmonisé analysis, estimated nearly 36.3 million people — 17% of the population assessed — faced severe acute food insecurity during the June-August 2026 lean season. FAO cites conflict and economic pressures nationally, while movement restrictions in parts of Borno have limited access to farmland and markets.
The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) projected in September that poor displaced households in affected areas would have limited income and rely on food purchases through January 2027. Its outlook cited conflict-related access problems, high farm-input and fuel costs, and dry spells that could reduce main-season production.
