How to Start a Profitable Poultry Farm in Nigeria

Starting a profitable poultry farm in 2025 can be a sustainable enterprise venture when done properly. This beginner’s guide provides a step-by-step outline on how to start and run a successful poultry business in Nigeria, especially for those with little or no prior experience.

Nigeria’s poultry industry has grown in the last decade, with technology transforming the way poultry farmers raise birds. The poultry sub-sector is considered the most commercialised sector of livestock in Nigeria, with a net worth of about 4.2 billion USD according to business a.m. Furthermore, as reported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the poultry production in Nigeria boasts of about 454 billion tonnes of meat and 3.8 million eggs annually reinforcing the sector as the second-largest poultry industry in Africa after South Africa, with a standing population of around 180 million birds.

The consumption per capita of eggs and meat in Nigeria is about 3.5kg and 2.5kg, respectively, which is significantly lower than the world’s averages at 9.4kg and 15.2 kg respectively, as reported by the Nigerian Journal of Animal Production. This, by implication, means that Nigerians don’t consume as many poultry products compared to an average individual from around the world. With increased awareness reinforced by the increasing demand for eggs and poultry meat that is driven by a growing population, urbanisation, and rising health awareness, the poultry market is yet to witness its full market potential in Nigeria.

Steps To Launch A Profitable Poultry Business in Nigeria: For Beginners

The following steps are required before launching into the poultry business:

1. Understand the Dynamics of Profitable Poultry Farming

Poultry farming is a part of the poultry value chain. The value chain is quite robust and involves many stakeholders along the ecosystem. For example, input suppliers like battery cage manufacturers, drinkers and feeders and poultry equipment suppliers, day-old chicks’ production and hatcheries, veterinary doctors and technicians, the poultry feed industry, poultry processing, marketing and distribution enterprises and others that operate within the poultry value chain. A poultry farmer doesn’t operate alone. Raising domesticated birds such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese to produce meat or eggs is the most popular production enterprise within the value chain. As a beginner, it is expedient to start small, and you may focus on the common ones which is largely raising cockerels, layers or broilers, while you learn with the attendant experience as you grow and expand the enterprise.

The key types of poultry farming are categorised as:

• Broiler farming: For meat production (matured in 5–8 weeks).
• Layer farming: For egg production (start laying at 18–20 weeks).
• Cockerel farming: Slower growth rate but hardy and suitable for the local market (start at about 6 months).

A more recent form of profitable poultry enterprise involves the rearing of Noilers. Noiler is a bird that serves a dual purpose for producing both eggs and meat. This breed of chicken is developed by Amo Farm Sieberer Hatchery Limited (AFSH) in Nigeria. It was developed through a series of experiments, breeding and selection programs that culminated in the commercial stock that was launched in 2014, according to Noiler.

2. Market Research

Before commencing your enterprise, it is crucial to do detailed market research. In particular, the market research will give both the local perspective and the broader perspective of the scope of your market. Some of the areas that will be researched include:

• Demand for poultry products (meat or eggs).
• Potential customers (individuals, restaurants, hotels, caterers, retailers).
• Competitors and pricing.
• Feed availability and cost.
• Veterinary and technical support services.

Understanding these factors helps in choosing the right poultry product and designing a profitable business strategy.

3. Conduct a Feasibility Study and Draft a Business Plan

It is important to conduct a feasibility study and draft a solid business plan. A comprehensive feasibility study will provide the needed information covering every aspect of the business, including the market research, financials, production, environmental impact, wastes management and utilisation from your poultry and other key areas. Furthermore, a business plan is crucial for guiding your operations and securing funding. While a feasibility study assesses the potential for success of a project or business idea before significant investment, a business plan provides a detailed roadmap for implementing a project and running the enterprise.

The business plan should include business goals and objectives, production operations, financial analysis, marketing and sales strategies, SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis, and organisation requirements.

4. Choose a Suitable Location

The choice of the location is extremely important more so if you are considering expansion in the near future. Your farm location should meet the following criteria:

• Distant from residential areas (due to air pollution, noise, and biosecurity risks).
• Accessible for transportation of feed, chicks, and products.
• Good drainage and ventilation.
• Availability of clean water and electricity.
• Adequate space for expansion.

5. Poultry Housing Set up and Construction

The poultry house (pen) must be well-designed to protect birds from harsh weather and predators while ensuring comfort. The orientations must be adequately catered for to avoid direct sunlight into the pen which can result in heat stress.

There are different housing systems such as:

• Deep litter system: Birds are kept on the floor with a thick layer of bedding material. Some of them include wood shavings, rice husks, etc. This bedding layer absorbs moisture, dilutes manure, and provides a comfortable environment for the birds.
• Battery cage system: Birds are kept in cages, which improves hygiene and egg collection efficiency. The battery cage is however more expensive than the deep litter.

6. Selecting the Right Breed

Choosing healthy, high-yielding breeds from reputable hatcheries is critical. Some identified breeds for broilers are:

• Fast-growing breeds such as Ross, Cobb, or Arbor Acres.
• While for Layers it includes high egg-producing breeds like Isa Brown, Bovans, or Lohmann.

Day-old chicks (DOCs) are bought from certified hatcheries to reduce disease risks and improve productivity. On the other hand, some vendors raise day-old chicks to be sold to farms at certain maturity ages like 3-4 weeks for broilers and 12-14 weeks for layers. It is important to get from reliable vendors to avoid unnecessary diseases that can result into birds’ mortality.

7. Feeding and Nutrition

According to vestance, the cost of poultry feed accounts for up to 70% of poultry production costs. It’s important to provide birds with nutritionally balanced feed based on their age and purpose (starter, grower, finisher for broilers, noilers; starter, grower, layer feed for layers).

You can choose between:

• Commercial feed: This is an already formulated commercial feed available off shelf. It is easy to use but relatively expensive.
• Self-formulated feed: This is cost-saving if you have access to raw materials and expertise but it requires some experts like animal feed nutritionists, animal scientists, livestock feed specialists, etc. The reason is because the content of their feed, how they are fed and the frequency of feeding all play significant roles in the productivity and profitability of the enterprise.

Regular and constant access to clean drinking water is also essential for the optimum growth and productivity of the birds.

8. Health Management and Biosecurity

Poultry rearing is highly risky. The birds can get infected with diseases easily without proper care and caution. Disease outbreaks can wipe out an entire flock in days. It is important to follow strict biosecurity measures like:

• Vaccinate birds according to the recommended schedule.
• Regular deworming and disease monitoring.
• Limit visitors to the farm.
• Disinfect equipment and premises regularly.
• Provide prompt veterinary care and engage competent veterinary doctors or technicians.
• Using technology to detect poultry diseases early.

9. Record Keeping and Monitoring

Effective poultry farm management will require the tracking of the following under-listed operations.

• Chick purchases and mortality rates.
• Feed consumption and costs.
• Vaccination schedules and medical treatments.
• Egg production and sales (for layers and noilers).
• Growth rate and slaughter weight (for broilers and noilers).
• Expenses and revenue.

Good record keeping attitude helps in making proactive decisions and financial planning.

10. Marketing and Sales Strategy

To ensure a profitable poultry farm, you will need to proactively establish reliable markets before production peaks. Some marketing strategies required include:

• Selling directly to consumers (e.g., neighbourhood or roadside sales).
• Partnering with local restaurants, hotels, and caterers.
• Supplying supermarkets and grocery stores.
• Leveraging social media (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram) for awareness and online orders.
• Creating bulk supply contracts with schools or institutions.

It is crucial to offer quality poultry products, build trust, and provide prompt delivery to retain customers.

11. Financing Your Poultry Farm

In your feasibility studies or business plans, your financial analysis would have given a hint of the investments, production costs, revenues, expenses, profits/losses and returns on investments. Depending on the sources for financing your business, understanding the financials and key financial indices will be required to make informed decisions through a period of operations and help project a future-proof strategy for the poultry operations.

12. Leverage Technology

You may strongly consider technology inclusion in the operations of your poultry enterprise. More and more poultry enterprises are leveraging technology for enhanced efficiency of operations and management. Some of the technologies being utilised are:

• Farm management software applications to track operations.
• Automated drinkers and feeders.
• Temperature and humidity monitoring using sensors.
• The use of renewable energy sources like biogas from poultry wastes, solar power for off-grid farms, etc.
• The utilisation of e-commerce platforms for egg/meat sales or cull hens.

Final Reflections

Success in poultry production in Nigeria is achievable with the right planning, information, and commitment. The poultry industry has vibrant communities in Nigeria. It is important to engage with poultry associations, attend training programs, and stay updated on best practices and market trends.

With Nigeria’s increasing demand for protein and a supportive agricultural ecosystem, poultry farming remains one of the best ventures for both young entrepreneurs and established agribusiness investors. Start small, think big, and grow smart.