The identification and enumeration of yeasts and the effect of chemical preservatives on the yeast load in Nigerian palm wine have been studied. Yeasts found largely belong to the genus Succhuromyces. Other genera found were Cundidu, Endomycopsis, Hunsenula, Kloeckeru, Pichiu, Sacchuromycoides and Schizosucchuromyces. The viable yeast count ranged from 0.5 x lo7 cfu/ml to 4.2 x lo9 in both fresh Elueis and Ruphiu spp. of palms. Yeasts in palm wine were least sensitive to sodium nitrate and most sensitive to sodium benzoate. The addition of these two chemical preservatives amongst others reduced the yeast count to 3.2 x 10" (in Raphiu sp.), and 4.1 x lo9 (in EIueis sp.) with 0.025% sodium nitrate and 1.2 x lo6 (in Raphiu sp.) and 1.9 x lo7 (in EIueis sp.) with 0.1 % sodium benzoate. The values of the yeast count in bottled and fresh palm wine were between 1.3 x lo3 cfu/ml to 9.8 x lo6 and 0.5 x lo7 to 4.2 x lo9, respectively. Maximum values of actual dry and theoretical yeast weights were 1.09 and 42 rng/ml, respectively.