Yogurt is a cultured dairy product made by fermentation of heated milk with lactic acid bacteria, which convert lactose into lactic acid resulting in a reduction in pH. It is one of the most popular fermented milk products in the world and produced commercially in Nigeria. 

Yoghurt is generally made from a standardized mixture containing whole milk, partially defatted milk, condensed skim milk cream and non-fat dry milk.  

It is produced by the controlled fermentation of milk by two species of bacterial (Streptococcus sp. and Lactobacillus sp.).

 Yoghurt has been described as a notoriously balanced food, containing almost the nutrients present in milk but in a more assimilable form.

It may or may not be flavoured according to desired taste. Common flavours used are banana, apple, strawberry, vanilla, chocolate, fruit juice and other condiments.

Yoghurt producers are innovating with various flavours of yoghurt products to sustain their market share, a step that has propelled growth of the industry. This came at the backdrop of campaign by food nutritionists insinuating that Nigerians are not drinking enough milk compared to global consumption rate. 

As a result of this, there has been an increasing pressure on yoghurt producers to meet the growing demand for high-value yoghurt and sour milk products in the market. This has led to the sub-sector growing at an unprecedented rate and the driving force behind this enormous surge is a combination of population growth, rising incomes and urbanization. 

The producers are also positioning their products based on consumers’ health consciousness (products with low sugar and cholesterol), while paying attention to product repackaging and availability.

The demand for the product is high in Nigeria as it is a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG).  Yoghurt is a fermented milk, which has its origins in Eastern Europe, but is now consumed throughout the world. 

The production technology is simple and the equipment can be locally fabricated.