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  • NB, FATE Foundation empower students

    NB, FATE Foundation empower students

    Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has entered into a strategic partnership with FATE Foundation  to empower 1,000 Nigerian students under the Orange Corners Student Ambassadors Programme, an initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

    The Orange Corners Student Ambassadors Programme is an initiative by Orange Corners Nigeria to promote entrepreneurship and offer networking opportunities in Nigerian tertiary institutions. Ambassadors are selected from specific universities to inspire students to see entrepreneurship as a desirable career path and to foster a culture of innovation within universities.

    Speaking on the partnership, Uzodinma Odenigbo, Corporate Affairs Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc, explained that the company is committed to empowering additional 1000 students under the existing program, while FATE Foundation will oversee its implementation, including student mobilisation, programme coordination, and delivery.

    “The partnership reinforces Nigerian Breweries’ long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship development,” said Odenigbo. “Through initiatives like this, we are creating pathways for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders in Nigeria.”

    The programme targets students aged 18–35, currently enrolled in tertiary institutions across Lagos, Ogun, and Enugu States.

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    Odenigbo further highlighted the company’s track record in youth empowerment, noting that since the renewed focus onyouth empowerment and entreprenuership, Nigerian Breweries has impacted 2,365 young Nigerians across 24 states and the FCT.

    Also speaking on the partnership, Adenike Adeyemi, Executive Director of FATE Foundation, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration between Nigerian Breweries and the Orange Corners Programme.

    “Nigerian Breweries has been a longstanding partner with Orange Corners Nigeria in many ways. We are delighted tohave the company continue to support the Orange CornersProgramme and elated that this commitment will reach anadditional 1000 young Nigerians leveraging the proven Orange Corners Student Ambassadors framework,” said Adeyemi.

    She outlined FATE Foundation’s role to include: designing and delivering the training curriculum, managing student registration and participation, maintaining accurate records of all beneficiaries, and coordinating all logistical and technical aspects to ensure successful programme delivery.

    This partnership marks a significant step in advancing youth entrepreneurship in Nigeria, equipping young people with the knowledge, skills, and opportunities needed to build sustainable businesses and contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy.

  • NB, Konexa partner on renewable energy

    NB, Konexa partner on renewable energy

    In its drive for a 100 per cent renewable energy transition for two of its breweries, Lagos and Ama Brewery, Nigerian Breweries Plc, has signed a power purchase agreement with Konexa, a UK-based energy developer and investor.

    This step aligns with its business strategy and ‘Brew a Better World’ sustainability agenda. Under the agreement, Climate Fund Managers (CFM), a climate-focused blended finance investment manager and existing investor in Konexa will provide development funding for the project via its EU-supported Climate Investor One fund. Konexa and third-party co-financiers will also provide funding.

    Speaking during the official contract signing ceremony held at the company’s head office in Iganmu, Lagos, the Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc., Hans Essaadi, described the agreement signing as a significant milestone in the company’s 100 per cent renewable energy transition.

    Essaadi said: “This partnership underscores our commitment to reducing carbon emissions, lowering operational costs and achieving net zero before 2030. Nigerian Breweries recognises the critical role of renewable energy infrastructure in Nigeria, particularly amidst frequent outages. Our collaboration with Konexa demonstrates our dedication to accelerating the transition to renewable energy in our operations and we look forward to a successful partnership with Konexa and their sponsors, CFM, given their track record in renewable energy deployment in Africa. We look forward to working with Konexa to achieve this transition, especially in the face of the increasing cost of fossil fuels,” he added.

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    Also, Chief Executive Officer, Konexa, Pradeep Pursnani, said the company is excited to be part of a project aimed at helping NB Plc move toward a more reliable and sustainable power source in its operations.

    “With CFM’s support, we are advancing the development of key renewable energy infrastructure in Nigeria, helping companies like NB Plc’s transition to sustainable, reliable power and reduce their costs. This project is a significant step forward in achieving NB Plc’s and Nigeria’s, renewable energy and decarbonisation goals,” Pursnani said.

    In his remarks, CFM Regional Head of Africa, Darron Johnson, said the funding support for the project represents the company’s commitment to assisting NB Plc reduce its dependence on fossil fuels. “Phase Two of our investment in Konexa is another crucial step forward in the modernisation of Nigeria’s power grid. By integrating sustainable energy sources into the grid, Konexa’s platform helps its clients reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, while strengthening the grid’s resilience and driving sustainable economic growth,” Johnson said.

  • NB: APCON, NAFDAC approve our promos

    The Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc yesterday said all its consumer sales promotions were vetted and approved by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) and the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

    Reacting to last week’s temporarily shut down  of its  operations  in  Abuja  and  its corporate  head  office  in  Iganmu,  Lagos, by the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC), it said it never ran any promo without approval.

    The Commission shut down the offices and business premises of NB across the country over its demand for payment of certain disputed fees for various consumer sales promotions by NB.

    But the firm said it has always ensured that it complied with all legitimate demands of government agencies, which are in accordance with the rule of law and has never sought to or seek to deprive government of its legitimate revenue.

    She added that prior to the above action, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) on behalf of its member companies including Nigerian Breweries Plc had instituted an action at the Federal High Court (FHC) in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/306/12 against the Commission.

    The action, she said, challenged the powers of the Commission to regulate consumer sales promotions in the country more so as they form part of the marketing and sales activities of the concerned companies.

    “The matter is subsisting at the Court of Appeal in Suit No: CA/A/267/2016, the appeal having been brought at the instance of the Commission. A cross-appeal was subsequently instituted by NECA against the decision of the FHC, the statement said.

    Ikem, however said despite the dispute, Nigerian Breweries Plc remained committed to winning with Nigeria and will continue to engage with all the appropriate stakeholders while seeking to protect and uphold its reputation as a good corporate citizen in the country.

  • NB gets accolades on LIPFEST sponsorship

    Nigerian Breweries Plc has been applauded for sponsoring the fourth edition of the Lagos International Poetry Festival (LIPFEST), which attracted Nigerian and foreign poets, writers and artists from 15 countries across the world.

    The commendation was showered on the foremost brewing company at the LIPFEST Wide Awake Concert, where renowned poets showcased their talents on contemporary issues and moral values at the Muson Centre on November 3, 2018.

    Niyi Osundare, a Professor of English at the University of New Orleans, United States, expressed his delight for the sponsorship of LIPFEST by Nigerian Breweries, stating that it has helped to nurture poetic talent in young Nigerians and stimulate interest in others.

    He said through the sponsorship, the company has paved the way for poets to express their views on social and political issues affecting the citizenry and has drawn moral and ethical values that should be upheld.

    According to Prof. Osundare, the art of poetry helps to change human perception on social ills plaguing the society, and how corrective measures could be adopted.

    Julian Heun, a poet from Berlin, Germany, who felt honoured to be at LIPFEST, affirmed that a gathering of poets demonstrated that Nigeria has lots of intellectual potential that could compete with others in the world. He said every poetic performance or expression inspires people to do things better and provokes societal interest.

    Heun applauded Nigerian Breweries for promoting talent and for bringing poets together through LIPFEST.

    Graciano Enwerem, a poet from Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said poets from Nigeria often travel to other parts of the world, telling the African stories outside the continent, but that LIPFEST has turned the situation around by bringing foreigners to participate in Nigeria and share the African experience.

    Logan February, also a Nigerian poet, who performed the poem, I Want to be a Butterfly, said his message is about strengthening the minds of those that are depressed, and that they could get away from it like a butterfly that flies from one place to another.

    “LIPFEST is a place where you come in contact with poets with great ideas and also broaden your mind. I commend Nigerian Breweries for the great ideas behind sponsoring an intellectual initiative like this,” he said.

    IFounder/Director, Lagos International Poetry Festival, Mr Efe Paul Azino, explained that LIPFEST, with the theme: Wide Awake, has attracted 40 guests, which consist of writers, poets and artists from across the world, to share ideas and connect people to humanity.

    He said writers have the ability to influence society, by showing a better way of living and also inspiring young ones interested in the art.

    “The most important thing about people who want to be poets is to see writers they see and admire, especially at the global level. In the past four years, LIPFEST has had 24 workshops and over 250 guests that have amazed the audiences through poetry,” Azino recalled.

    During the opening ceremony, Nigerian Breweries Plc Managing Director, Mr. Jordi Borrut Bel, said the sponsorship of LIPFEST since its inception in 2015 is in line with the company’s philosophy of “Winning with Nigeria”.

    “Through this, we believe we can help to contribute to the breeding of young, emerging talent, engender conversations on critical issues and create a shared performance space for poets across the country and the world,” he said.

  • NB promotes global friendship

    Residents of Calabar and environs who attended this year’s edition of City of Friends have commended the Nigerian Breweries Plc, brewers of the “33” Export Lager Beer, for its thoughtfulness in promoting friendship around the country. City of Friends, a two-day funfair and merriment for friends, was created by “33” Export Lager Beer as part of a series of events to celebrate the 2018 World Friendship Day.

    A final year student of the University of Calabar, Aniekan Ukpo, commended the organisers of the show for bringing friends in the city together in a convivial atmosphere that only the city of Calabar could offer.

    “We are grateful to them for bringing this year’s City of Friends to Calabar. Beyond the name, Calabar as we residents here know it also stands Come And Live And Be At Rest. This explains the love and friendship that live here, both of which I believe make the city a no-brainer to host the “33” Export Lager Beer City of Friends which is entirely about celebrating friendship,” he said.

    He also urged the brand to continue in its friendship promotion as the world today, more than ever before, needs the peace and harmony that only friendship can bring about if it is to avoid the catastrophe of wars and bring about healing to the victims of wars and other forms of violence.

    Another attendee at the event, Bassey Usanga gave the organisers kudos for the excitement the show brought to the city. “The show was great and the camp feeling even made it more exciting than every other show we’ve had in this city lately. You can see the city especially these two days has been different and bubbly. I am particularly glad that this gave me an opportunity to actively participate in this year’s World Friendship Day with my loved ones.”

    Usanga, who came to the event with his recently-wedded wife, also thanked the “33” Export Lager Beer brand for spicing up their new life together. “For us, it is like going on another honeymoon, with plenty music, dance, food and drinks, all for free. We have had so much fun this evening and I really look forward to the next World Friendship Day .”

    Nigeria’s award-winning music sensations, Phyno, Harrysongz and the homeboy, Mc Galaxy thrilled the audience and ensured that they danced all through.. Also, on hand to entertain the guests were MC Shakara and De Don who put up wonderful comedy performances that cracked the ribs of the audience.

    Other side attractions at the event included the 33 giant sized games which the attendees participated in, with winners going home with several gift items including LCD Television, Refrigerators, Rechargeable Fans, Generators and other gift items.

    Portfolio Manager – Mainstream, Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Emmanuel Agu explained that the City of Friends is created out of the brand’s desire to promote friendship among the people of Nigeria.

    According to him, “Whatever we do as a brand, we are always driven by the essence of friendship and always strengthened by the recognition that the bond people share needs to be acknowledged and celebrated. It is important to note that Nigeria is fortunate in its diversity, and a lot of our consumers are here today to celebrate one another and to recognise the indispensable quality of friendship and unforgettable experiences.”

    While expressing satisfaction with the outcome of the event, he thanked the guests for the value they place on friendship “which we believe is what brought you here in the first place. I can only enjoin you not to let the celebration of friendship end with this party but allow it to continue so, together, we can build the harmonious world of our dream.”

    He further informed that the City of Friends will move to the Eagles’ Club in Surulere, Lagos for another exciting experience on the 3rd and 4th August, 2018.

  • NB to reward reporters with N2m, others

    Nigerian Breweries yesterday said it has concluded plans to hold the 10th year award of its Golden Pen.

    Speaking during a courtesy visit to headquarters of The Nation in Lagos, the firm said N2 million would be the grand prize for the first place, as there would be other consolation prizes for the second and third place respectively.

    Its Media Relations Manager, Chukwuemeka Aniukwu, who led the delegation noted that Nigeria is blessed with abundant human and natural resources, adding that the 10 years old award is to encourage reporters that exhibit special writing and reporting skills, which is in line with the world best practices.

    He said: “Cash prizes and trophies are available for deserving Nigerian journalists who distinguish themselves in 2017. The major focus is on reports in agriculture, local sourcing and industrial development. All reports must have been published in Nigeria between January 1, 2017 and 31st December 2017.

    “We have judges that screen stories and select well written stories that that meets the criteria for qualification. When you see a well written story, you cannot rule it out. Judges in most cases notice that some stories are verbatim with some other papers. This does not depict professionalism.”

    COO, TPT International, Muyiwa Akintunde said the programme is to reward excellence, as judges are particular about the best.

    Akintunde stressed the way news is gathered and reported has changed, stressing that reporters should be dynamic in writing and reporting.

    He said reporters are permitted to submit up to three entries, saying that the entries should be forwarded to godenpenawards@tptinternational.com.

  • Phyno is NB’s Life Lager Beer brand ambassador

    Nigerian Breweries (NB), a Heineken company and Nigeria’s largest brewer, has announced the signing of award- winning Nigerian rapper and entertainer, Phyno, as its new Brand Ambassador for the leading Southeast premium beer brand, Life Continental Lager Beer.

    Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the weekend, its Marketing Director, Mr Maria Franco Maggi, said: “Working with a great act like Flavour and this new collaboration with Phyno- one of Nigeria’s most successful artistes and a proud son of the Igbo community, is further proof of Life Continental Lager beer’s mission of effectively promoting Igbo highlife music, beliefs, traditions and progressive cultural values.”

    The deal, which was signed at the Nigerian Breweries Plc. corporate head office in Lagos, will see the new ambassador featuring in Life Continental Beer advertising and marketing campaigns and will also make special appearances at events.

    During the unveiling ceremony, Phyno said: “I am very happy to be part of this great development as Life Continental beer has always been a brand that shows great support for the Igbo culture and values and it is something that I respect this beer brand for. They are the reason I am here today and I am proud to now be their ambassador.”

     

     

  • NB empowers 100 artisans with N30m

    A total of 100 artisans have been rewarded with a grant of N300,000 each to be invested in their businesses, under an empowerment programme tagged “ISEDOWO” for youths from the Southwest.

    The 100 beneficiaries are the first batch of youths that will benefit from the N30 million Community Partnership Scheme by Goldberg, produced by  Nigerian Breweries Plc.

    At the unveiling of the empowerment programme in the palace of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi- Ojaja II, NB Plc’s Marketing Director, Franco Maria Maggi, said ISEDOWO was designed to equip young Yoruba men and women with the support they need to grow their businesses.

    Describing the initiative as historic, Maggi said Goldberg, which is Nigeria’s number one culture-centric beer brand, was extending its connection points beyond culture and tradition to support entrepreneurs from the South-West region.

    Besides, he said the event took place in the palace of the  Ife monarch, a revered traditional ruler, who is a leading example in the call for empowerment of Nigerian youths.

    “We believe that the choice of your palace for the unveiling is a mutually benefiting union between your majesty and a beer brand that not only respects the values and traditions of your people, but also seeks to empower the young men and women in the region,” he said,

    Maggi said the company believes that as the custodian of Yoruba culture, the Ooni’s blessings will rub off positively on the campaign and set it on the path of achieving its objective of positively transforming the lives of its beneficiaries.

    He noted this will have spillover effects on the larger economy while also increasing income and creating jobs.

    Explaining the selection criteria, Maggi said interested participants were required to showcase their business ideas and how it impacts the society in order to benefit from the empowerment scheme.

    He said participants went through a selection and screening process across the South-West after which the top 100 participants were rewarded with a grant of N300, 000 each.

    Maggi said the launch of the programme was the latest of the brand’s efforts to help the youths achieve their potential.

  • NB praises interest in Golden Pen Awards

    •Entries hit 250

    Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc has praised the media for number of entries for the Ninth Golden Pen Awards sponsored by the company.

    Submission of entries, which started on July 3, closed on August 4.

    About 250 works for various categories were received by officials in charge of the award’s entry portal.

    The award was introduced by Nigerian Breweries to promote professionalism in journalism practice in Nigeria.

    Its Corporate Affairs Adviser, Kufre Ekanem, said an independent panel of judges, which comprises distinguished professionals, would analyse the entries for originality, news value, use of resources, credibility and factuality at the end of the collation.

    According to him, other areas of interest are info-graphics, lay out/headline, clarity and social responsibility.

    Ekanem said the awards would hold on Friday, October 6, and winners would be announced.

    Winners will emerge in the three categories of the award: the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year, the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Photojournalist of the Year and the Nigerian Breweries Report of the Year.

    According to him, the prizes have also been reviewed upwards. The Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year will get N2 million and a gift item.

    The first runner-up will get N1 million while the second runner-up will go home with N750,000.

    Ekanem added that in the photojournalist category, the winner would receive N1 million and a gift item, while the first and second runners-up would get with N750,000 and N500,000.

    The winner of the Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Reporter of the Year will receive N1million and a gift item.

    In the previous three editions, the focus of the award was on the role of the media in setting agenda for the future of Nigeria with the theme – education, youth empowerment and talent development.

    With the completion of the three-year focus on education, youth empowerment and talent development, Ekanem said the company was directing the attention of the Nigerian media to agriculture, local sourcing and industrial development as the themes for the 9th Nigerian Breweries Golden Pen Award.

  • NB deepens partnership with local entrepreneurs

    Nigerian Breweries Plc has deepened its partnership with local entrepreneurs and farmers to harness huge value chain from its backward integration policy.

    Mr. Patrick Olowokere, the company’s  Corporate Communications and Brand Public Relations Manager, explained that the company was consolidating its local sourcing of inputs for its operations and has fast-tracked its plan to attain 60 per cent local input sourcing to 2018 as against the initial 2020 target.

    During a tour of Psaltry International Limited, one of Nigerian Breweries’ major raw material suppliers, in Alayide village, Ado Awaiye, near Iseyin, Oyo State, Olowokere said that the strategy was to identify organisations that could produce raw materials and ancillary products as inputs for its business.

    These organisations, he explained, would be supported and provided the guarantee of a ready market for their products. These value chain models, according to him, have been successfully experimented in the areas of packaging material, sorghum and cassava development models.

    He revealed that the company has also made progress in increasing the supply of sorghum used for some of its beverages as more than 100,000 metric tonnes of the cereal is annually sourced locally. “Over 250,000 farmers spread across several agronomic zones in the north have been impacted by our sorghum value chain programme as at 2013.”

    Currently, the company’s brands are packaged using locally sourced packaging materials such as bottles, cans, crates, cartons, crown corks, and labels, among others. As at 2016, 99 percent of these packaging materials were locally sourced, opening a wide opportunity to clusters of local entrepreneurs.

    Similarly, the company has since 2015 been working with Psaltry International Limited, a local cassava processing company, to optimise the cassava value chain in the country by providing industrial quality cassava starch to extract maltose syrup for use in its brewing process.

    The cassava processing firm has, today, become the biggest revelation coming out of the backward integration story. MD/CEO of the firm, Mrs. Oluyemisi Iranloye, informed journalists last week that the firm has created a supply chain involving up to 5,000 farm families which included more than 2,000 registered and unregistered out grower farm families, marketers, transporters and retail input suppliers.

    She added that the company has saved the nation more than $7million in foreign exchange in the past two years through local provision of processed cassava starch for industrial use.