Popcorn Business in Nigeria: How to Start, Cost & Profitability 2024

Popcorn business in Nigeria is a very lucrative business that anyone including students, teachers, graduates, housewives, and even civil servants can get into and make a lot of money.

It is a good business idea for those looking for daily income businesses to start, as you can make up to 10,000 Naira daily from popcorn business in Nigeria.

The business is very easy to start, as acquiring the proper skill in popcorn production, and the capital is what you need to get started.

There’s always demand for popcorn, as it is one of the most popular snacks in the country. Therefore, sales are always guaranteed even from the first day.

Truly this business is very profitable, just like other businesses you need to follow a step-by-step guide on how to start a popcorn business to get everything right and be successful.

That is why we’ve come up with this post to provide you with everything you need to start a successful pop corn business in Nigeria. You’ll get to know the steps required, how much is needed as capital, how much profit to expect, and lots more will be covered here in this post.

So, if you’re ready to know all that, let’s get started then!

Popcorn Business in Nigeria

Also known as guguru, especially in the northern part of Nigeria, popcorn is a popular snack made from corn. This snack is consumed by a lot of people both young and old, and the combination with groundnut is tasty!

On the other hand, the popcorn business involves the processing, production, and sales of popcorn. In Nigeria, the production of popcorn is not expensive as it can be started from the comfort of your kitchen.

Although there have been some brands that package popcorn, you can start the business in Nigeria without any branding whatsoever.

There’s always a market for the business in Nigeria, as there’s high demand for popcorn by students in school, workers, and literally anybody. That simply means you’ll surely make sales as a popcorn seller, and of course profits from your business.

Related: How to Start Palm Oil Business in Nigeria and Make ₦1m+ Profit

How Much Do You Need to Start a Popcorn Business in Nigeria

If you really want to start this business the first thing that will come to your mind is – what is the cost of starting a popcorn business in Nigeria?

Well, since a popcorn business in Nigeria is not one of those businesses that must be registered, the cost of starting the business is very low.

On a small scale, you can start a popcorn business in Nigeria with less than 30,000 Naira. A larger-scale popcorn production business in Nigeria can be started with at least 500,000 Naira, as you’ll need to invest in bigger and more expensive materials, as well as branding and workers’ pay.

Check Out: 18 Profitable Small Businesses to Start with 5K in Nigeria

How Profitable is Popcorn Business in Nigeria

Another thing that will come to your mind after knowing the cost of starting is – is popcorn business profitable in Nigeria?

Of course, it is! The popcorn business is very profitable in Nigeria as it doesn’t require much investment, and the materials needed are not too expensive.

As a popcorn seller, realistically, you could be making a profit of up to 5,000 Naira daily if you’re in a good spot for the business. Overall, the profit margin of a popcorn production business in Nigeria could range from 100% to 300% ROI.

How to Start Popcorn Business in Nigeria

Now that you’ve known the profitability and how much you need to start a popcorn business in Nigeria, let’s see how to start a popcorn business in Nigeria following the step-by-step guide below.

1. Get to Understand the Business

To start, you need to know what type of business you’re getting into. Understand how the business works, and also get to know the in and out of the business.

To understand the business, you need to carry out detailed market research. Do your findings about the requirements to start the business, and also get to know who your competitors are and how they run their business.

Also, do some findings on the best-selling spot for popcorn in your area, the amount needed to start, as well as where to get the needed materials, equipment, and ingredients to start a popcorn business in your area.

Once your market research is done, you would have gotten a lot of clues on starting the business, so you can proceed.

Related: How to Start a Profitable Foodstuff Business in Nigeria

2. Come Up with a Realistic Business Plan

If you want to start a serious and successful popcorn business in Nigeria, you need to draft a business plan that will serve as a road map toward the success of your business.

In your business plan, what will be covered mainly includes your objectives and target. While drafting your plan, you must outline your financial projection, and your overall business strategy, including competitors analysis, and point out your marketing plan, as well as your operation plan.

Also, you need to note down in your overall strategy how you can make your popcorn business and service better than your competitors. That is how to beat the competition.

3. Acquire Popcorn Production Skills

To start a popcorn business, you need to learn how to make popcorn. The skill is very easy to learn, as you can enroll in a training course whether online or offline.

Also, you can read some blogs that discuss a step-by-step guide to making popcorn, or better still, watch some tutorials on YouTube to get started.

See Also: How to Start a Frozen Food Business in Nigeria

4. Arrange for a Startup Fund

You need money to start a popcorn business. You must buy all the necessary equipment, and materials, as well as the required ingredients, to make popcorn.

Therefore, you need to raise capital for the business. If you carry out step one perfectly, you should know exactly how much you need to start. You can get the fund either from personal savings or loans from friends and family.

5. Get the Necessary Equipment

With your startup fund ready, the next thing is to go to the market and buy all the necessary equipment required to start popcorn production.

The main equipment that will cost you a lot of money is a popcorn machine. This machine is available in two variations including a gas-powered popcorn machine, and an electric popcorn machine.

Depending on your budget and the area you live in, you’ll need to go with the one that is most suitable for you. More so, from the market research carried out earlier, must have known the best for you, and also other equipment needed.

6. Get the Ingredients for Popcorn Production

After getting all the needed types of equipment ready, the next thing is to get the main materials for the production of popcorn including maize, sugar, butter, etc.

This also requires a lot of money as there are specific types of maize used for popcorn production only, and they cannot be gotten (or hard to find) in regular markets. There are companies and businesses that sell these types of maize specifically, as they are usually bagged and branded.

7. Get a Suitable Location for Popcorn Business

Location plays a major role in the success of a popcorn business in Nigeria. Of course, almost everybody likes popcorn and it sells anywhere.

However, there are some spots that work well for the business as they generate unlimited customers, and these include schools, motor parks, cafes, beside or opposite supermarkets, and secretariat.

There are always lots of people in these places, meaning lots of sales for sellers in the area.

Related: How to Start a Dispatch Rider Business in Nigeria

8. Get Started and Get Working

After acquiring the popcorn production skill, getting the equipment and ingredients, as well as securing a spot/shop, it’s time to start making the popcorn and selling them.

One thing I love about this business is that you’re likely to get sales even from the minute you start. However, you’ll also need to put in more effort to increase sales by marketing, and branding your popcorn business.

To achieve that, below are some tips that will help in speeding up your success with the popcorn business in Nigeria.

How to Succeed as a Popcorn Seller in Nigeria

From step one to step eight above is exactly how to start a popcorn business in Nigeria. However, to be successful with the business, you still need to go some steps further by implementing the following:

Don’t Build a  Business, Build a Brand instead

First of all, you need to brand your business. Of course, everybody can start a popcorn business, but what makes yours stand out?

If you’re really serious about the business and want to work with bigger companies like supermarkets, or cinemas, you should prioritize branding. Start by naming your popcorn business, then proceed to get a complete branding kit that includes labels or custom package material, business cards, as well a social media profile for your popcorn business.

Possibly, you can create a website for your business and even have people order popcorn online which you can deliver by working with dispatch riders.

Prioritize Marketing

The success of a popcorn business in Nigeria lies heavily in marketing. Your marketing strategy starts with how good the location of your shop is for the business.

We’ve already discussed the best locations for a popcorn business above. To get big sales, just go out there and advertise your product to supermarkets, cinemas, and resort centers. Just one big client (a cinema for example) can change your business by making you a lot of money.

Popcorn Business – FAQs

Can I make money selling popcorn?

Yes, you can make money from selling popcorn as the business is very profitable making people up to 10K daily in Nigeria.

How does popcorn business make money in Nigeria?

Pop corn business in Nigeria makes money from the processing, production, and sales of popcorn to final consumers and even other businesses.

How can I promote my popcorn business?

You can promote your popcorn business in Nigeria by picking the best location for your business, and reaching out to other businesses to supply them at retail prices.

Conclusion

Production and sales of popcorn in Nigeria could really make you a reasonable amount of substantial daily income if done the right way which I believe this article has revealed to you here today.