AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
What AI agents can do in bookkeeping, close, collections and compliance today, where a person must stay in charge, and how to judge a product.
The short answer
Kuli-kuli is made by roasting and grinding groundnuts, kneading the paste to squeeze out oil, then shaping and frying it, so one batch gives two products: kuli-kuli and groundnut oil. In our labelled example, 25kg of kernels yields 150 packs of kuli-kuli plus spare oil and leaves about ₦38,000 before rent. Roasted groundnut in bottles is a smaller, simpler line with a lower margin.
Two products from one raw material
Kuli-kuli is a crunchy groundnut snack eaten alone, with garri soakings, or ground into suya spice and salads. Roasted groundnut is sold in bottles and pouches in markets, motor parks, offices and supermarkets. Both start with good kernels, and both live or die on freshness and taste. Running them together lets you use the same roasting set-up and buyers.
Sourcing groundnuts
Buy dry, clean kernels and sort them before use. Mouldy, shrivelled or discoloured nuts must go: mould on groundnuts can carry aflatoxin, a toxin linked to liver damage, and one bad lot can make customers ill and end your business. Prices are usually lowest after harvest; if you have storage and cash, buying ahead can widen your margin. Keep sacks on pallets in a dry room.
How kuli-kuli is made
- Roast the kernels evenly in a pan or roaster until lightly brown.
- Cool and rub off the skins; winnow them away.
- Grind to a smooth paste, adding a little salt, ginger and pepper to taste.
- Knead the paste firmly, adding a little warm water if needed, to squeeze out the oil. Collect the oil.
- Shape the pressed paste into rings, sticks or balls.
- Fry the shapes in the extracted oil until crisp and brown.
- Drain, cool completely and pack the same day.
The oil you squeeze out is sellable. Some producers use part of it for frying and sell the rest to neighbours and food vendors, which helps the batch pay.
Worked example: one kuli-kuli batch (example figures)
Example only. We assume 25kg of kernels gives about 15kg of kuli-kuli (150 packs of 100g) and about 3 litres of oil to sell after frying. Prices are illustrative.
| Cost line (example) | Amount |
|---|---|
| 25kg kernels at ₦1,600/kg | ₦40,000 |
| Ginger, pepper, salt | ₦3,000 |
| Gas or firewood | ₦4,000 |
| Labour | ₦8,000 |
| 150 pouches and labels at ₦50 | ₦7,500 |
| Total | ₦62,500 |
| Income (example) | Amount |
|---|---|
| 150 packs at ₦600 | ₦90,000 |
| 3 litres of spare oil at ₦3,500 | ₦10,500 |
| Total | ₦100,500 |
The batch leaves ₦38,000 (₦100,500 − ₦62,500) before rent and equipment. Cost per pack after the oil credit is (₦62,500 − ₦10,500) ÷ 150 = about ₦347.
Roasted groundnut: the simpler line
Example only. Roast 10kg of kernels (₦16,000 at ₦1,600/kg) with salt and gas (₦2,000), fill 75 bottles of 120g (9kg after roasting losses), with bottles and labels at ₦100 each (₦7,500). Total ₦25,500. At ₦500 a bottle, 75 bottles bring ₦37,500, leaving ₦12,000. Lower margin, faster turnover, and less labour than kuli-kuli.
- Roast evenly; burnt nuts taste bitter and one burnt batch can lose a buyer.
- Cool fully before bottling, or condensation softens the nuts.
- Use bottles with tight caps or sealed pouches.
Where to sell and how to price
Kuli-kuli and roasted groundnut sell where people snack on the move or buy small treats: motor parks, markets, school gates, offices, kiosks, filling station shops and supermarkets. Suya spots and food vendors buy ground kuli-kuli for spice blends in bulk. Each channel wants something slightly different.
| Buyer | What they want | How to price |
|---|---|---|
| Market and park retailers | Small, cheap packs; cash on delivery | Low price per pack, sold by the dozen |
| Shops and supermarkets | Labelled, sealed packs with NAFDAC number; regular delivery | Wholesale price that leaves the shop room to mark up |
| Suya and food vendors | Bulk ground kuli-kuli by the kilo | Price per kg, discount for weekly orders |
| Gift and event buyers | Branded jars or souvenir packs | Premium price for packaging and labelling |
Recost every month: groundnut prices move with the season, and a pack price fixed at harvest can lose money a few months later. If a price rise is unavoidable, a smaller pack at the old price is often easier for retailers to accept than a higher price on the same pack.
Packaging, NAFDAC and selling
Market and motor-park sales often use simple packs, but shops and supermarkets will want a label with your name, weight, ingredients, batch and best-before date, and usually a NAFDAC number. The NAFDAC tariff effective 1 June 2019 listed ₦20,000 to register a local food product for a micro enterprise and ₦10,000 a year for a facility inspection per production line; confirm the current tariff with NAFDAC. In January 2024, Prime Business Africa reported a 65% cut in renewal fees, with local manufacturers' processing fee at ₦44,200. You will need a registered business first; CAC's 29 May 2025 schedule lists ₦20,000 for a business name. More in NAFDAC registration costs.
Where Pryme fits
Shops and resellers pay by transfer to a Pryme Business Account; virtual accounts make it easier to see who has paid. If you also press oil at scale, see groundnut oil processing, and for pricing when costs rise, this guide.
Questions people ask
How do you make kuli-kuli at home?
Roast and skin groundnuts, grind to paste with spices, knead out the oil, shape the paste and fry it in the extracted oil until crisp.
Is kuli-kuli business profitable?
It can be, because one batch gives kuli-kuli and oil. Our labelled example leaves about ₦38,000 on a 25kg batch before rent.
How do I avoid aflatoxin in groundnuts?
Buy dry kernels, sort out mouldy and damaged nuts, and store sacks dry and off the floor.
Do I need NAFDAC to sell roasted groundnut?
For shops and supermarkets, usually yes. The 2019 tariff listed ₦20,000 for a micro local food product; check the current fee.
Sources
- NAFDAC Tariff effective 1 June 2019 (copy hosted by Inventa) · accessed Oct 2026
- NAFDAC slashes renewal fees by 65% for MSMEs, Prime Business Africa, 2 Jan 2024 · accessed Oct 2026
- CAC New Schedule of Fees, Corporate Affairs Commission, 29 May 2025 · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.