From the Nigeria Magazine Desk
Nigerian entrepreneur Timi Oke is building a thriving agricultural business by transforming hibiscus flowers, popularly used to make zobo in Nigeria, into an export commodity with international demand.
Oke is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of AgroEknor, an agribusiness company that sources, processes and exports dried hibiscus flowers and other agricultural commodities to international markets, including the United States, Mexico and Europe.
His entrepreneurial journey began in 2012 while he was working at a bank in the United Kingdom. Through LinkedIn, Oke connected with a Mexican importer interested in purchasing Nigerian hibiscus. The opportunity led to his first major export deal, involving approximately 60 tonnes of dried hibiscus.
With support from his brother, Ayo Oke, and business partner Attah Anzaku, he successfully completed the transaction. Following the success of the first deal, Oke left his banking career and returned to Nigeria to focus on building AgroEknor.
The company experienced rapid growth in its early years, exporting approximately 60 tonnes of hibiscus in its first year, 120 tonnes in the second year and 540 tonnes by its third year.
As the business expanded, Oke recognised the importance of working more closely with smallholder farmers to improve product quality, supply consistency and traceability. AgroEknor subsequently developed stronger relationships with farmers and invested in processing infrastructure to meet international export standards.
The company has also expanded beyond bulk exports into value-added products, including Madala, a hibiscus-based beverage brand designed to bring Nigerian-grown hibiscus to consumers in a different form.
Beyond its commercial operations, AgroEknor has created opportunities for farmers, processors and other participants across the agricultural value chain. Oke has reported that the company’s network supports more than 15,000 smallholder farming households, highlighting the potential of agribusiness to create livelihoods while connecting local producers to global markets.
His journey demonstrates how Nigerian agricultural products can compete internationally when entrepreneurs combine local resources with strategic networking, quality control, processing and market development.
By looking beyond the traditional use of hibiscus as a local beverage ingredient, Oke is helping demonstrate the opportunities available in Nigeria’s agricultural sector and the potential to create greater value from crops grown within the country.
