When it comes to cooking for large events or large numbers of people, catering in Nigeria is not just about cooking, making your food delicious, or satisfying your clients, it’s about creating memorable experiences with events like weddings, birthdays, corporate events, etc which are happening daily, weekly, or monthly across the country, food service is always needed.
Starting this catering business allows you to access the market, but success requires planning, creativity, and a high degree of discipline.
Understanding Why Catering Business Works and How to Start
It works because food is important to Nigerian culture, events are incomplete without good meals, and most hosts prefer to outsource the stress of cooking to professionals. This steady demand makes catering one of the most flexible businesses even during economic setbacks.
But catering can also be competitive, because literally anyone can cook, but not everyone can run a well-planned catering business, because it requires discipline, commitment, and a strong will. Profit comes from blending culinary skills with entrepreneurship.
To start your own catering business, you need to do some essential things:
Identify Your Catering Niche
You can’t serve the same market, you have to choose a catering niche to help you stand out. Options like;
- Wedding Catering: This is the most popular, profitable niche out of catering, because Nigerians go all in when it comes to weddings.
- Corporate Catering: This is one of the events organized by officers for small events like lunch during service, conferences, seminars, etc.
- Event Catering: Events like birthdays, funerals, and anniversaries.
- Small-chops/Grills: Suitable for cocktail-style events or entertainment shows.
- Home/Online Food Delivery: These are mostly for busy professionals or business people who don’t have time to go out and eat or cook at home.
Out of these options, you can start small, dominate a niche, and expand later.
Write a Business Plan
Before you go all in, your catering business needs a structure, a plan that covers;
- Startup Cost: Costs that cover cooking utensils, food warmers, gas, coolers, branding, serving dishes, licenses, and other equipment needed for catering.
- Pricing Strategy: Cost-per-plate vs. buffet pricing, transportation cost, labor, ingredients, and the profit margins.
- Marketing Plan: You can market through social media platforms, referrals, and partnering with event planners.
- Financial Projection: Calculate or estimate the total revenue cost for different event sizes.
Register Your Catering
To gain credibility, you need to have a license, that way you will be taken seriously and avoid shutdowns
- Register with CAC (corporate affairs commission), registering with them could cost from 10,000 – 30,000 naira with some additional fees depending on the way you want to register your business name.
- You can obtain a food permit from your local government to be recognized by NAFDAC.
- Your business has to meet health and safety standards, such as a clean kitchen, safe food handling, etc.
- If you plan to hire some staff, you need to comply with basic laws.
A legal recognition puts trust in your client’s heart, makes you stand out, and makes you attractive to work with.
Secure Equipment and Staff
For you to have a smooth business going, you need to obtain equipment such as;
- Cooking utensils like pots, pans, food warmers, and serving spoons.
- Industrial gas cookers and ovens.
- Storage containers and coolers.
- Delivery logistics or hired transport.
- Highly trained kitchen assistants.
Lack of all this equipment leads to delays in service and unsatisfied clients.
Develop Your Menu and Pricing
Your menu should contain the popular Nigerian dishes like Jollof rice, fried rice, salad, amala, porridge, small chops, etc, with other options of healthier meals and continental dishes.
Your pricing models example;
Per plate- 2000 naira per head for 100 guests. Or
Package deals- 350,000 naira for a 200-person wedding buffet.
Your pricing models should depend on the calculation of ingredient costs, transportation, packaging, and labor.
Build Your Brand and Marketing Strategy
Your presentation is just as crucial as taste. You can build a professional brand with;
- An attractive business and logo
- Your staff should have uniforms
- Social media presence like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook are platforms that work best for food.
- Partnering with event planners, MCs, and decorators.
- You can offer a discount for referrals from your clients.
Note, when marketing on social media, you should post pictures and videos of your exotic dishes, behind the scenes to attract clients.
When it comes to your start-up costs and profit potential, small-scale catering can start with 300,000 – 500,000 naira, that’s if you already own basic equipment. Large-scale catering for weddings can start from 1.5 – 3 million naira.
Overcoming Catering Challenges
Some challenges to expect are;
- Fluctuation of food prices can affect your profit.
- Last-minute cancellation from clients.
- Management of staff.
- Transportation delay.
Smart and sensible caterers overcome these by signing contracts, requiring deposits, and building supplier relationships.
Entrepreneurs like Oluyemi Ogedengbe, who left pharmacy to run a thriving catering company, show that passion plus professionalism creates wealth. Many small “mama put” ventures have also scaled into full-blown catering brands by focusing on consistency and customer experience.
Conclusion
Starting a catering business in Nigeria isn’t just about cooking; it’s about running a system that makes you stand out, delivers food, and gives a sense of satisfaction to your clients.
If you choose a niche, price smartly, register legally, and sell yourself on social media, catering can become a six-figure business within months or years. Don’t forget to start small, learn fast, and reinvest your profits. Demand is waiting because people always eat.
Read Also
How to Start a Make-up Business in Nigeria
How to Start Cryptocurrency Trading in Nigeria: A 2025 Beginner’s Guide
Finance and Investment Made Simple: Strategies for Long-Term Success
