A short history
West Africa has brewed from local grains for thousands of years. Sorghum and millet are native to the region, and communities developed beers such as pito, a fermented sorghum or millet beer, and burukutu, a thicker, creamier brew. In many areas, brewing was traditionally done by women, and these beers were part of hospitality, festivals, farm work and ceremonies. Palm wine, tapped from palm trees, is another beloved fermented drink across the region.
Industrial brewing came in the colonial era. Nigerian Breweries opened in Lagos in 1949 and launched Star Lager, and Guinness opened its first brewery outside Ireland and Britain in Lagos in 1962. Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, a strong, bittersweet export stout, became hugely popular, and Nigeria is now one of Guinness’s largest markets anywhere.
In the 1980s, import restrictions on barley pushed Nigerian brewers to use local sorghum. This made local grains central to modern industrial brewing too.
The beer culture
Beer is at the heart of celebration. In Nigeria, big parties known as owambe are famous for their food, music and plentiful drinks. Lagers are served very cold in large bottles, often at open-air “beer parlours” and “joints” with loud music and grilled suya.
Stout holds a special place. Many drinkers see strong, dark stout as a symbol of strength and vitality. Malt drinks, unfermented and non-alcoholic, are hugely popular too.
Traditional beers remain widespread. In northern Ghana, Burkina Faso and northern Nigeria, pito is brewed in large pots and sold fresh in local markets. It is best drunk within a day or two as it keeps fermenting.
Signature styles
- Pito: sorghum or millet beer, tangy, slightly sweet and low in alcohol.
- Burukutu: thick, opaque grain beer, often from sorghum.
- Palm Wine: a sweet, fizzy drink from palm sap, growing sour and stronger as it ferments.
- West African Lager: crisp and pale, with Star, Gulder and Trophy as household names.
- Foreign Extra Stout: strong, dark and bittersweet.
Traveler’s tip
In Lagos, visit a lively beer parlour and pair a cold lager with suya, spicy grilled meat. For traditional brews, head to local markets in northern Nigeria or northern Ghana, where pito brewers sell by the calabash. Ask locals where the freshest batch is, because pito is best on the day it’s made.