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Tag: Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC)

  • NBC kicks off youth empowerment tour

    NBC kicks off youth empowerment tour

    Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited  has announced the flag-off of the 2025 Youth Empowered (YE) Tour, with Kaduna hosting the first stop on September 29th to 30th , 2025.

    Now in its eighth year, the Youth Empowered initiative, launched in 2017, has become one of the most impactful youth development programmes in Nigeria and across 28 countries where Coca-Cola HBC operates.

    Having already surpassed its ambitious goal of reaching one million young people across these locations by 2025, the initiative continues to expand as a platform for nation building, skills development, and real-world career preparation.

    On the new edition, Soromidayo George, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director at NBC, said the programme reflects NBC’s consistent investment in Nigeria’s socio economic development.

    “At NBC, we believe Nigerian youths are central to the country’s progress. By empowering them with practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities, we are not only shaping their individual futures but also contributing to the nation’s collective growth.

    The Youth Empowered initiative is a demonstration of our commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators, leaders, and change-makers,” George said.

    To make the programme even more impactful, NBC has strengthened Youth Empowered with additional experiential learning opportunities. Earlier this year, the company sponsored select beneficiaries to an intensive culinary masterclass, helping them refine their craft.

     Three winners were also rewarded with ₦1 million each to support them in building sustainable livelihoods in Nigeria’s growing food and hospitality sector. In addition, ten other participants were placed in NBC, where they gained practical workplace exposure and hands-on skills to better prepare them for professional careers.

    Since its inception, Youth Empowered has trained thousands of young Nigerians in entrepreneurship, digital literacy, career development, and leadership.

    Participants benefit from expert facilitators, mentorship, and networking opportunities, enabling them to translate knowledge into action and ambition into achievement.

    The 2025 edition will feature interactive workshops, and capacity-building sessions, giving participants practical insights into building sustainable businesses, advancing their careers, and leveraging digital tools for growth.

    After the Kaduna launch, the tour will continue across Nigeria with stops in Ondo, Port Harcourt, Edo, Benue, Niger, Jos, and Delta, building on the 2024 edition, which engaged young people in Abuja, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Anambra, and Maiduguri.

    With every new edition, NBC’s Youth Empowered initiative reaffirms its mission: to equip Nigerian youth with the tools, confidence, and opportunities to thrive—ultimately shaping a stronger, more resilient nation.

  • NBC celebrates youth day

    NBC celebrates youth day

    Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), the official bottling partner of The Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria, is marking World Youth Day 2025 by celebrating the resilience, innovation and impact of young Nigerians, who are transforming their communities and driving inclusive growth.

    At the core of this celebration is NBC’s flagship #YouthEmpowered initiative—designed to equip young people with essential life and business skills for the future of work.

    Since its launch in Nigeria in 2017, the programme has empowered over 60,000 youths through hands-on training, digital upskilling, mentorship and entrepreneurial coaching.

    As part of this year’s activities, NBC will premiere a documentary that spotlights inspiring YouthEmpowered alumni, who are building businesses, leading change, and shaping brighter future for themselves and their communities. The documentary will be available to the public on NBC’s official website, YouTube channel, and social media platforms.

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    Featured in the film is Esohe Ekunwe, who now leads Alpha Connect, a community initiative focused on financial literacy, wellness, and civic engagement.

    She credits the YouthEmpowered programme with not only influencing her business journey, but also transforming her mindset.

    The documentary also highlights other change makers like Doyin Ogunye, founder of Women and Youth Empowerment, whose environmental work in Lagos is tackling waste and creating jobs; and Kingsley Oguchechukwu, founder of Kingsman Luxury in Enugu, who turned a major business setback into a thriving fashion brand.

    By shining a light on these stories, NBC reaffirms its commitment to empowering young Nigerians and supporting their vital role in national development.

  • NBC gets global recognition

    The Ikeja Manufacturing Plant of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has received the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) Gold Certification Award.

    This was presented to the plant in recognition of its responsible use of freshwater in a socially, economically and environmentally beneficial way.

    The award was presented by Control Union, Ghana, a global organisation which comprise leading businesses, non-profits, public sector agencies and academic institutions.

    The award positioned the plant as the first receiver of  the prestigious Alliance for Water Stewardship Gold Certification.

    Presenting the award to NB, the Managing Director of Control Union Ghana, Ransford Nyarko, said: “NBC achieved five key criteria stipulated for the certification, including good water governance, sustainable water balance, good water quality, protecting important water-related sources and safe water, sanitation and hygiene for all.”

    In appreciation, the Manufacturing Operations Director for Lagos and West, NB, Mr. Soni Alok,  said the  company had put in efforts to promote water sustainability. According to him, the efforts are line with the Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company Group’s 2025 sustainability commitments.

    The Head of Ecology and Conservation, Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Olayinka Omotosho, said the certification was a recognition for Lagos State as this would go a long way to validate the level of compliance to standards in water sustainability operations in the state.

  • NBC gets public affairs director

    Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, a member of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, has appointed Ekuma Eze as its Public Affairs and Communications Director.

    A statement by the Managing Director, George Polymenakos, said the appointment was consistent with the company’s commitment to promote talent and grow leaders organically.

    On this new role, Eze is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear by consolidating on the company’s strategic business growth trajectory and developing talents in the public affairs to deliver on the company’s strategic goals.

    He is also expected to build on the good reputation of the company amongst its publics, stakeholder groups as well as effectively manage every aspect of NBC’s corporate relations.

    Eze joined NBC in February 2010 as Regional Manager, Public Affairs and Communication and was responsible for supporting the objectives of the company through strong relationships and effective communications with all stakeholders as well as coordinating timely execution of its sustainable CSR programmes, among other tasks.

    Prior to this new appointment, he was the Country Manager, Corporate Social Responsibility, saddled with developing sustainability strategies and implementing them in support of NBC’s strategic business priorities as well as conceptualising, developing and facilitating the implementation of projects related to the company’s commitment to community relations.

    Before joining NBC, he spent a some years in banking where he managed media relations, internal communication, brand management, Corporate Social Responsibility and External Relations for three banks.

    Eze also had a stint in journalism. He worked with  Daily Independent as a political reporter and production editor.

  • Obanikoro’s suit: NBC wants N96.8m judgment-debt order quashed

    Obanikoro’s suit: NBC wants N96.8m judgment-debt order quashed

    The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) on Wednesday urged an Ikeja High Court to dismiss a garnishee order in respect of a N96.8m judgment in favour of a Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Obanikoro had in 2010 sued the NBC at an Edo High Court for damages over a fatal accident involving his daughter, Abidemi.

    Obanikoro’s co-applicants in the suit are his daughter, Miss Abidemi Obanikoro, and Mrs Agnes Akele, the wife of his driver.

    On May 13, 2007, Abidemi, her friend, Miss Ibukun Adeniyi, Obanikoro’s driver and a police orderly had set out from Lagos to Igbinedion University, Okada in Edo, Abidemi and Adeniyi’s school.

    During their trip, a NBC vehicle which was alleged by the applicants to be driven recklessly crashed into the senator’s vehicle killing all occupants with the exception of Abidemi.

    Abidemi, who was badly injured, was immediately flown to South Africa for life-saving medical treatment.

    In 2010, Obanikoro sued the NBC for damages at the Edo High Court, Auchi. Because the accident occurred within its jurisdiction.

    On June 2, 2016, the Edo High Court granted a judgment in favour of Obanikoro and his co-applicants to the tune of N96.8 million.

    The court had ordered that N1.5million should be awarded to Obanikoro as expenses incurred on behalf of his late driver and police orderly.

    It awarded 184,236.52 dollars (N76.69 million) as cost for medical expenses for Abidemi’s treatment in South Africa and 48,779.66 South African Rand (N1.07 million) for her hotel accommodation in South Africa.

    The court also awarded N10 million to Akele for the pain and suffering over the death of her husband, the driver of the car.

    Obanikoro’s daughter was also awarded N10 million as general damages for her pain and suffering while N500, 000 was awarded as costs of the action.
    NAN reports that although the NBC appealed the amount awarded in favour of the applicants, Obanikoro, through his lawyer, Mr. Lawal Pedro, (SAN), had registered the judgment before the Lagos High Court because NBC’s headquarters is located in Lagos.

    The one-time senator subsequently got a garnishee order from an Ikeja High Court against five banks where the NBC had accounts and the NBC appealed the order.
    During proceedings on Wednesday, counsel to the NBC, Mr. Ademola Olawoye, in an application requested that the court should set aside the garnishee order as it lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
    He argued that any adjudication on the case should be stalled pending the outcome of the appeal at the Court of Appeal.
    Olawoye argued that since an appeal had been filed in respect of the judgment delivered by Edo High Court, no other court could adjudicate on the matter.
    Counsel to the applicants, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), however, told the court to disregard the argument of the NBC, noting that there was no evidence before the court that they had appealed the N96.8m judgment.
    He drew the court’s attention the fact that the appeal form which was presented to the court by the NBC as proof that they had filed an appeal at a higher court had no official Court of Appeal stamp and appeal number.
    “The order for stay of proceedings purportedly obtained by the judgment-debtor cannot prevent a garnishee proceeding.
    “Garnishee actions are a separate proceeding and cannot be affected by stay of execution of the judgment obtained from the Edo High Court,” Pedro said.

    Pedro urged the court to disregard the argument of the NBC and allow the garnishee order to be executed.
    Justice Kazeem Alogba adjourned the case until July 11 for ruling.

     

  • Fanta, Sprite with Vitamin C not poisonous, says NBC

    Fanta, Sprite with Vitamin C not poisonous, says NBC

    The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Limited has faulted claims that its products, Fanta and Sprite when taken with Vitamins C are poisonous.

    In a statement by its management Wednesday, the firm said information on the safety of benzoic and ascorbic acids as ingredients in soft drinks, citing a Lagos High Court order, is misleading.

    “In the judgement delivered on February 15, 2017 in a suit involving Fijabi Adebo Holdings Limited & Dr. Emmanuel Fijabi Adebo vs. Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) & National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the Lagos High Court dismissed all claims against NBC and held that the company had not breached its duty of care to consumers and that there was no proven case of negligence against it.

    “In the same judgement, the court directed NAFDAC to mandate NBC to include a warning on its bottles of Fanta and Sprite that its contents cannot be taken with Vitamin C as same become poisonous if taken with Vitamin C. This order was premised on the fact that the products contain the preservative, benzoic acid. NBC has since appealed this order.”

    The firm explained that the standards for testing benzoic acid in soft drinks differs from country to country and is influenced by different factors such as climate.

    The United Kingdom (UK), it added, being a temperate country, requires lower preservative levels unlike a tropical country like Nigeria, but that this did not make NBC’s products harmful when taken with Vitamin C.

    “In the subject case which dates back to 2007, the UK authorities confiscated a consignment of our products shipped to that country by the plaintiff because their benzoic acid levels were not within the UK national level, although well within the levels approved by both the national regulators for Nigeria and the international levels set by CODEX, the joint inter-governmental body responsible for harmonising food standards globally.

    “The UK standards limit benzoic acid in soft drinks to a maximum of 150 mg/kg. Both Fanta and Sprite have benzoic levels of 200 mg/kg which is lower than the Nigerian regulatory limit of 250 mg/kg when combined with ascorbic acid and 300 mg/kg without ascorbic acid and also lower than the 600 mg/kg international limit set by CODEX.”

    It noted that both benzoic acid and ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) are ingredients approved by international food safety regulators and used in many food and beverage products around the world.

    “These two ingredients are also used in combination in some of these products within levels which may differ from one country to another as approved by the respective national food and drug regulators and in line with the range prescribed by CODEX.

    “The permissible ingredient levels set by countries for their food and beverage products are influenced by a number of factors such as climate, an example being the UK, a temperate region, requiring lower preservative levels unlike tropical countries.”

    The firm added that “given the fact that the benzoic and ascorbic acid levels in Fanta as well as the benzoic acid level in Sprite produced and sold by NBC in Nigeria are in compliance with the levels approved by all relevant national regulators and the international level set by CODEX, “there is no truth in the report that these products would become poisonous if consumed alongside Vitamin C.

    “The wrong perception emanating from the media reports that our Fanta and Sprite beverages which are fully compliant with all national and international food quality and safety standards are unsafe, simply because their levels of Benzoic acid were not within the UK standards, is not only unfounded but also undermines the entire food and beverage industry in Nigeria which is regulated by the same ingredient levels approved by NAFDAC and other regulatory bodies for the country.”

    It assured its consumers and members of the public of its “unwavering commitment to product quality, safety and customer satisfaction.”

  • Police arraigns six for allegedly defrauding NBC

    Police arraigns six for allegedly defrauding NBC

    The Police Monday arraigned six men before a Lagos state Magistrate court sitting in Ikeja for allegedly defrauding Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) of N12.25million.

    They were arraigned before Magistrate Bola. O.  Osunsanmi on a three-count charge, bordering on conspiracy, fraud and forgery.

    They are Sunday Ogundipe, Sunday Idowu, Afolabi Oke, Dickson Oyewole, Kayode Adeleye and Segun Olaide.

    Police prosecutor, Inspector Precious Olatunde alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to defraud NBC of N12.25Million.

    The defendants were also alleged of having in their possession, forged documents purportedly belonging to Abeokuta Local Government and Egbeda Local Government.

    According to the prosecution, the defendants carried out the alleged criminal acts on the July 25, 2016 at about 12:30hrs at Moroko Area of Lagos state.

    When the charges were read, the defendants pleaded not guilty to the three count charge offence preferred against them by the Police.

    Counsel to the defendants, Mr. Christopher Iloadonafo applied for the bail of them, assuring the court that they would not jump bail.

    The trial magistrate, Mrs. Bola Osunsanmi granted them bail in the sum of N200, 000 each with two sureties in like sum.

    The matter was however adjourned till September 21, 2016 for hearing.