Okin Biscuits Resumes Production After 17 Years

After 17 years of silence, the familiar sound of Okin Biscuits production has returned to its factory in Offa, Kwara State, bringing a nostalgic moment for many Nigerians who grew up with the popular brand.

Okin Biscuits announced the development on Wednesday, describing the restart as a major step in its efforts to revive the company. The first biscuits rolled off one of its rehabilitated production lines on Tuesday after the company rebuilt equipment that had been badly affected by vandalism.

According to the company, vandals had previously stolen vital components, including cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronic parts, leaving the production line inactive for years.

However, the company was quick to clarify that Tuesday’s production was only a technical trial and not yet a return to full commercial production. The purpose was to determine whether the long-silent production line could still function after years of inactivity.

The company said there is still considerable work to be done, including further testing, calibration and rehabilitation before the biscuits can return to shops. It also wants to ensure that the taste and quality Nigerians associate with the Okin brand are properly restored.

Another major boost came on the same day when Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company connected the factory to a 33kVA Band A electricity supply. The company described the development as an important part of its plans to bring the factory back to life.

Okin said the machines are now running again and the ovens have been fired, but the journey back to the market will be gradual.

Founded in 1980 by the late Chief Emmanuel Olatunji Adesoye, an entrepreneur from Offa, Okin Biscuits became a household name, particularly among Nigerians who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s.

The company later struggled with a combination of challenges, including poor infrastructure, unreliable electricity supply and growing competition from cheaper imported biscuits. These difficulties eventually forced its production to stop.

Now, after nearly two decades away, the sound of Okin biscuits rolling off the production line has returned. For an entire generation that remembers the brand, it is more than just a factory restarting; it is a familiar piece of childhood slowly finding its way back.Okin is coming back.