Okin Biscuits Resumes Production at Kwara Factory After 17 Years

By Adedapo Adesanya

Okin Biscuits has resumed production on one of the rehabilitated production lines at its factory in Ijagbo, near Offa in Kwara State, after 17 years of inactivity.

The company announced the development on its official Facebook page on Wednesday, saying biscuits rolled off one of the factory’s rehabilitated production lines on August 25, 2026, for the first time in nearly two decades.

The manufacturing firm said the production line had to be rebuilt after critical components, including cables, frequency drives, contactors, motors and other electronic equipment, were stolen during the years the factory was inactive.

It explained that the exercise was a technical trial run rather than a test of the finished product. The immediate objective, it said, was to establish whether the production line could be restored after 17 years of inactivity.

“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!” it stated.

The successful trial represents a significant stage in the rehabilitation of the Ijagbo factory, although the company said more work would be required before Okin Biscuits could fully return to the market.

Another development recorded at the factory was its reconnection to the national electricity grid

The company said the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) had officially connected the factory to a 33kV Band A electricity supply.

The reconnection is expected to support further testing and rehabilitation of the production facility as the company works towards restoring full production.

The company, however, said the resumption of production line activity did not mean the product was ready for commercial distribution.

“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,” it said.

The company described the development as a milestone in its effort to revive the brand.

“The machines are turning. The ovens are firing. The biscuits are beginning to roll out again,” it said.

Okin Biscuits is one of the indigenous Nigerian biscuit brands associated with the industrial history of Kwara State.

The company was founded in 1980 by Mr Emmanuel Adesoye, a prominent businessman and educationist from Offa. He was also the founder of Adesoye College in Offa, and was recognised by the Kwara State Government in 2022 for his contributions to the state’s development.

At a state honours ceremony held in Ilorin on 23 December 2022, Mr Adesoye was listed among recipients of the Lifetime Achievement and Posthumous Awards presented by the state government.

The awards recognised prominent Kwarans who had made contributions to the state, Nigeria and the wider world in areas including business, education, law, politics, public service, arts, sports and other fields.

The factory’s prolonged inactivity, however, brought production to a halt and left the brand absent from the market.

The company said the rehabilitation of the production facility has involved rebuilding parts of the production line that were damaged or stripped of essential components during the years of inactivity.

The recent technical run, therefore, represents more than the testing of machinery. It indicates that a production facility that had remained silent for 17 years can be brought back into operation.

The company has yet to announce a specific date for the full commercial return of Okin Biscuits to the markets.