Rising to a series high
Nigeria Cheese Production moved from 9.32 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+2.6%), an average of +0.3% a year. The series high was 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 9.25 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
What Nigeria Cheese Production shows
Nigeria Cheese Production was 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.3% on 2022. The Nigeria Cheese Production dataset provides a comprehensive assessment of the country's cheese manufacturing performance and the development of its dairy processing industry between 2015 and 2023.
A 3.3% peak-to-trough swing
The gap between the series high (2023) and low (2016) is 0.312 Thousand Tonnes. The sharpest single-year move was +1.4% in 2020.
Ranks 29 of 30 countries covered
Among the 30 countries in this dataset, Nigeria ranks 29 for 2023, behind U.S. (6,628 Thousand Tonnes) and Germany (3,042 Thousand Tonnes). It accounts for 0% of the global total in 2023.
Full series
Nigeria Cheese Production by year
Complete annual series with year-on-year change. Values are reported in Thousand Tonnes.
Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.
| Year | Thousand Tonnes | Change vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2023Peak | 9.56 | +0.3% |
| 2022 | 9.53 | +0.3% |
| 2021 | 9.50 | −0.6% |
| 2020 | 9.56 | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 9.43 | +0.8% |
| 2018 | 9.35 | +0.8% |
| 2017 | 9.27 | +0.3% |
| 2016 Trough | 9.25 | −0.8% |
| 2015 | 9.32 | — |
Regional context
How Nigeria compares in Africa
Cheese Production by country, 2023, Thousand Tonnes. Nigeria is highlighted.
1Egypt765.7
2South Africa62.30
3Nigeria9.56
Data definition
Inclusions and exclusions
Cheese Production — – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The data includes the annual production of natural and processed cheese manufactured from milk obtained from dairy animals. It covers cheese produced for domestic consumption, industrial use, and export, including a wide range of cheese varieties reported through official national agricultural and food manufacturing statistics. The figures represent gross domestic cheese production compiled and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years.
The data excludes raw milk production, butter, yogurt, cream, milk powder, whey products, and other dairy products that are not classified as cheese. It also excludes cheese imports and exports, retail sales, inventories, informal or unrecorded production not captured in official statistics, and cheese substitutes made from non-dairy ingredients such as plant-based alternatives.
About this indicator
Cheese Production — – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
Measured in Thousand Tonnes, the dataset serves as a valuable benchmark for evaluating dairy production capacity, milk utilization, food processing efficiency, agricultural output, and the long-term performance of Nigeria's dairy sector. It also supports analysis of production trends, market stability, and industry competitiveness. Based on the validated data, Nigeria's cheese production remained highly stable throughout the study period with only marginal year-to-year fluctuations. Production declined slightly from 9.32 thousand tonnes in 2015 to 9.25 thousand tonnes in 2016, before increasing marginally to 9.27 thousand tonnes in 2017, 9.35 thousand tonnes in 2018, and 9.43 thousand tonnes in 2019. Output rose to 9.56 thousand tonnes in 2020, eased slightly to 9.50 thousand tonnes in 2021, recovered to 9.53 thousand tonnes in 2022, and reached 9.56 thousand tonnes in 2023, matching the highest level recorded during the period. The overall trend indicates a mature and relatively stable cheese production industry with limited variation in annual output. Overall, the dataset provides valuable insights into Nigeria's cheese production trends, dairy manufacturing performance, and long-term industry development. It enables year-over-year trend analysis, international benchmarking of cheese production, evaluation of processing efficiency, and assessment of agricultural value addition across the dairy supply chain. Policymakers, dairy producers, processors, exporters, investors, market analysts, and researchers can leverage the dataset to monitor production performance, assess industry competitiveness, identify market opportunities, forecast future cheese output, strengthen supply chain resilience, encourage innovation, support sustainable dairy production, and promote long-term growth across Nigeria's dairy industry.
- Indicator
- Cheese Production
- Country
- Nigeria
- Region
- Africa
- Unit
- Thousand Tonnes
- Coverage
- 2015–2023, annual
- Category
- Agriculture
- Last updated
- July 2026
- Source
- Our World in Data
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Frequently asked questions
What is Nigeria Cheese Production?
Definition – Cheese Production refers to the total quantity of cheese produced within a country during a specified period, measured in tonnes. The indicator reflects the output of the dairy processing industry by measuring the production of cheese manufactured from milk. It is used to assess the scale of dairy processing, value-added agricultural production, and the performance of the cheese manufacturing sector. The data presented by Our World in Data is based on statistics from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
What was Nigeria Cheese Production in 2023?
Nigeria Cheese Production was 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023, up 0.3% on 2022.
How has Nigeria Cheese Production changed between 2015 and 2023?
Nigeria Cheese Production moved from 9.32 Thousand Tonnes in 2015 to 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 (+2.6%), an average of +0.3% a year. The series high was 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the low 9.25 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
Which year had the highest and lowest Nigeria Cheese Production?
The highest value was 9.56 Thousand Tonnes in 2023 and the lowest was 9.25 Thousand Tonnes in 2016.
What does the Nigeria Cheese Production data include and exclude?
Included: The data includes the annual production of natural and processed cheese manufactured from milk obtained from dairy animals. It covers cheese produced for domestic consumption, industrial use, and export, including a wide range of cheese varieties reported through official national agricultural and food manufacturing statistics. The figures represent gross domestic cheese production compiled and standardized by the FAO to ensure international comparability across countries and years. Excluded: The data excludes raw milk production, butter, yogurt, cream, milk powder, whey products, and other dairy products that are not classified as cheese. It also excludes cheese imports and exports, retail sales, inventories, informal or unrecorded production not captured in official statistics, and cheese substitutes made from non-dairy ingredients such as plant-based alternatives.
Where does the Nigeria Cheese Production data come from?
The series is sourced from Our World in Data (https://ourworldindata.org/explorers/global-food?time=2023&country=USA~DEU~FRA~GBR~BRA~ZAF%3BhideControls&pickerSort=asc&Food=Cheese&Metric=Production&Per+capita=false). It covers 2015–2023 and is reported in Thousand Tonnes.
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