Guinness has soared in popularity over recent years with millions of pints drunk across the world each year. Although Great Britain tops the charts for the most pints of Guinness consumed, one surprising country beats Ireland to second place in the rankings.
The creamy stout, known by many as “black gold”, is known for its smooth head and rich flavour. It was founded in Dublin in 1759 and has become a staple in British pubs, with the former head of Guinness revealing that “one in 10 pints sold in London is Guinness”.
Great Britain’s love for Guinness comes as no surprise given how close the nation is to Ireland and its well-known pub culture. However, there is a nation that often surpasses Ireland in total sales of Guinness.
That nation is Nigeria, located on the western coast of Africa, which is the second largest Guinness-drinking country worldwide. Guinness has been brewed in Nigeria since 1962 but it is slightly different to the pint you’ll find in Ireland and Britain.
The Nigerian version of Guinness is the Foreign Extra Stout which is stronger and more bitter. It’s brewed with maize, sorghum and a unique yeast to cater for the local taste.
Nigeria’s population of over 200 million people is far bigger than Ireland’s six million. If you combine this with the African nation’s strong beer-drinking culture, it comes as no surprise that they outdrink the original home of Guinness.
The Nigerian variety of Guinness is also often sold in a bottle and has an alcohol content of 7.5%. This is twice as strong as the Irish 4.2%.
The official Guinness Storehouse says: “Oh, the Brits and their passion for good ale! With every pub corner echoing with laughter and cheer, they’re savouring around 2.2 million pints of Guinness every day. For the first time ever, in December 2022, Guinness became Britain’s number one beer in the on-trade.”
It adds: “Here’s where things get interesting. The 19th Century saw Guinness Stout imported into Nigeria for the very first time. Fast forward to 1962 and the first Guinness Brewery outside of Ireland and Great Britain is built in Lagos.
“By 2007, consumption of Guinness in Nigeria was neck-and-neck with Ireland’s consumption. And Nigeria’s own twist? The Guinness Extra Stout. It’s darker, bolder, and has found its home in Nigerian celebrations.”
Meanwhile, Cameroon is the fifth largest consumer of Guinness globally. The Guiness Storehouse says: “Cameroon might not be the first place you’d think of, but there is a long history of Guinness in Cameroon. It is the 5th largest Guinness market globally and the 2nd largest in Africa.”
