Okin Biscuits has resumed operations at its factory in Offa, Kwara State, after 17 years of inactivity, in a major step towards returning the iconic Nigerian brand to the market.
The development was recorded on Wednesday when biscuits rolled off one of the rehabilitated production lines at the factory for the first time in nearly two decades.
The company said the achievement followed extensive rehabilitation of the production line after critical components, including cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronic equipment, were stolen while the factory remained dormant.
According to the company, the exercise was conducted as a technical trial rather than a final product test. The primary objective was to determine whether the long-abandoned production line could be restored to working condition.
“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!” the company said.
The successful trial represents a significant milestone in the rehabilitation of the Offa facility and the broader efforts to revive Okin Biscuits, a brand that has been associated with locally manufactured biscuits for decades.
In another major development, the factory was officially reconnected to the 33kV Band A electricity grid by the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) on the same day.
The company said the reconnection would provide a significant boost to ongoing rehabilitation, testing and restoration activities at the facility.
However, it noted that additional work is still required before Okin Biscuits can fully return to the market.
“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,” the company said.
Celebrating the progress, the company noted that the production machinery was running, the ovens were firing and biscuits had begun rolling out again.
“One step at a time. Okin is coming back,” it said.
The revival is expected to usher in a new chapter for Okin Biscuits as the company works towards re-entering Nigeria’s highly competitive fast-moving consumer goods market.
Founded in 1980, Okin Biscuits has remained one of Nigeria’s familiar indigenous biscuit brands. Its planned return is expected to rekindle consumer interest while restoring manufacturing activity at its Offa facility.
