buying a turkey is as good potential as working 10 time's less than you spending your salary

Last month, I watched a friend spend his entire salary in a weekend—party meat, drinks, and flashy hangouts. By Monday, the money was gone, leaving just memories and an empty bank balance. I couldn’t help but think: What if that same money—₦100,000—had been used to buy turkey poults instead? That thought stuck with me.

In Nigeria right now, you can buy a day-old turkey poult for around ₦1,500 to ₦3,000. For a small, hopeful start, let’s say ₦1,500 per bird. With ₦15,000, you could have ten poults. These grow into full adults over roughly 20 to 24 weeks and can sell for ₦50,000 to ₦100,000 each depending on size—and demand during Christmas, Easter or festivals is particularly high .Cost Breakdown of Starting a Poultry Farm in Nigeria (2025 Guide)

Meet Lamson Opeyemi, a turkey farmer in Lagos who turned turkey into a quiet fortune. He started with a larger setup—200 poults bought at about ₦350 each, bringing startup costs of ₦70,000 just for the birds, within a total of around ₦478,000 including shelter and feed over six months. By the end of that period, his returns covered his investment and left him smiling—in real profit, not just talk

Top 8 most profitable farming businesses in Nigeria in 2025

Then there’s the chicken farmer in Ibadan, who said raising poultry evolves you as a farmer. He started with ₦50,000 and – as he told me with pride – grew it five times over. If that’s not converting sweat into success, I don’t know what is .

You don’t even need massive sums. Many success stories begin with just 15 chicks costing around ₦30,000, and by six months they turned that into about ₦225,000 in sales . For a moment, imagine turning a one-off feast into an income machine that feeds you for months.

Then there’s my cousin—he started with ten poults at ₦1,500 each, so roughly ₦15,000. He raised them with leftover grains, simple care, and attention. By December, he sold six large, healthy birds at ₦60,000 each—walking home with ₦360,000. He whispered to me: “That’s ten times my salary in one pen.” I believed him because I tasted that turkey—they were juicy like prize meat, but the victory felt even juicier.

Raising turkeys also comes with eggs—delicious, rich eggs that go for between ₦700 and ₦1,000 each . You get daily blessings from your own backyard. Eggs for breakfast, eggs sold to cover feed, and more eggs for your next flock. It becomes a cycle of growth.

Stories from farmers show how this business isn’t just profitable—it transforms communities. As they told their neighbours, suddenly turkey became a seasonal symbol of quality. People began to recognize their name when they said "I rear turkeys." They didn't just earn—they became known.

Sure, it’s not all sunshine. There’s work—feed costs, medication, mortality risk. One blogger shared how their initial attempt with 16 four-week-old poults cost about ₦28,800; housing and materials added another ₦38,000, plus vaccines and feeds. His ₦120,000 investment stretched far, but challenges crept in. Still, he didn’t regret it: “I would do it again, but with better preparation” .

Then there are market variations. Some people in forums say full-grown turkeys are only worth ₦12,000 to ₦15,000—but that’s often middle-of-the-road market chatter. Others say poultry weights, timing, packaging, and who you know can mean the same bird commands triple that during festive months .

The best part? The business grows on itself. One groomed flock leads to multiple revenue streams—meat, eggs, breeding stock, and even feathers and droppings for organic fertilizer. Farmers who scale to 100 birds often see cost estimates of ₦1 million to start small-scale, but profits in millions afterward .

This isn’t just about income. It’s about dignity, reputation, and renewal. As these turkeys grow, so does your brand. You're known for quality meat and fresh eggs. You're someone who turned ₦15,000 into thousands more. In a society where salary days come and go, turkey farmers remind people that wise business can be quiet, enduring, and deeply nourishing.

Nigeria students, youths, and even housewives are stepping into this space. They’re not waiting for perfect loans or fancy shops before they act. They're starting small, feeding patiently, learning through mistakes, and building trust in their communitty How I Started Poultry Farming With Just 100 Chickens and Guinness right...

I believe that one day, when Nigeria speaks to agriculture’s power, turkey businesses should be in that speech—not just big farms, but backyard pens that kept families afloat, that taught patience, and that turned modest money into meaningful profits.

30 Profitable Businesses To Start With ₦300K in Nigeria

Next time someone splashes cash on a weekend frenzy, I hope they think: “Maybe that money is better spent raising turkeys.” Because with care, commitment, and time, that ₦100,000 can be ten times more valuable.