Noiler

In 2019, Nigerian entrepreneur Dr. Ayoola (Ayo) Oduntan is accelerating distribution of Noiler, a genetically optimized breed of poultry, to smallholder farmers across Nigeria. The bird was bred to be productive as a source of both meat and eggs and to thrive in the rural Nigerian context—e.g., living in harsh outdoor conditions and relying on forage and kitchen scraps for food. The Noiler breed was developed by Oduntan’s poultry business, called natnudO Group, which operates feed mills and hatcheries, processes broilers and layers, and sells poultry products to Nigerian restaurants and retailers. The Group had revenue of about $64 million in 2019. Oduntan wants to get Noilers into millions of poor households in Nigeria and other West African countries as fast as possible. His mission is to tackle protein-related malnutrition in Nigeria, which afflicts millions of children. He has devised a unique value chain model to build sustainable markets for Noilers, with a focus on creating economic opportunity for poor farmers, empowering women, and most of all getting protein to children who need it. In late 2019, he is considering next steps for the Noiler enterprise. Should it remain within a commercial entity or be spun off as a not-for-profit? What would that look like? Should he sell the genetics? How important is it for this to remain a Nigerian enterprise versus bringing in multinational partners? What could reinforce or threaten the model’s scalability and sustainability?