The Reason Guinness Is So Popular In Africa

When you think Guinness, do you think Ireland? While the truth about the beer brand lies within the iconic Guinness Factory, the drink is widely consumed elsewhere. According to EatThis, Not That!, Great Britain is where Guinness is consumed the most. However, two big runners-up are Nigeria and Cameroon, located in West Africa.

In fact, both countries are two of the top five Guinness-consuming areas. Food Republic reports that almost 40 percent of beer sold is drunk in Africa, as Diageo, Guinness's parent company, expanded the item internationally. Diageo is one of four companies that split 90 percent of the beer market in Africa (via Smithsonian Magazine).

Irish Post explains that as of January 2020, Nigeria surpassed Ireland as the second-largest Guinness market, as it has been sold there since 1827. The United States follows Ireland, at fourth place. The product in Africa is normally consumed from glass bottles, rather than cans or the original pint glass that the brand is famous for.

Guinness owns five breweries around the globe, all in separate locations. Ireland, Malaysia, Nigeria, Ghana, and Cameroon have become staples for the beer industry (via EatThis, NotThat!). Arthur Guinness II grew the business in 1803, utilizing the path drawn out by the British Empire.

This kind of beer — Guinness West Indies Porter — was darker and stronger than the original Guinness. According to CNN, porter made its way to Africa by 1827 and has remained there ever since. After breaking away from the United Kingdom, Lagos, Nigeria became the home of the first Guinness brewery not located in the U.K or Ireland.

Presently, the beer is accessible in over 100 countries. In Africa, you will most likely find Guinness Foreign Extra Stout with a 7.5% alcohol content. This variation of the original is denser and more powerful because it is brewed directly within the country itself (via Smithsonian).