The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, recently visited Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd (NBC) in a significant gesture demonstrating the Federal Government’s dedication to nurturing the manufacturing sector’s expansion in Nigeria.

The visit highlights the government’s proactive efforts to create an enabling environment that supports and accelerates the growth of manufacturing enterprises in the country.

The Minister, who was welcomed by Goran Sladic, the Managing Director, Mr ‘Laolu Akinkugbe, Non-Executive Director, and other members of the leadership team of the Nigerian Bottling Company Ltd was led on a tour of NBC’s 110,000 m² facility, which is currently recognised as the largest bottling plant in Africa.

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Highlighting the importance of the real sector to the sustainable development of the Nigerian economy, the minister engaged the NBC team on pertinent issues shaping the landscape of manufacturing in the country.

Doris Nkiruka Uzoka-Anite, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment commented:

“We are most delighted to be at NBC today and recognize its rich history in Nigeria which spans over 70 years. Our visit today is in line with Mr President’s commitment to promote industrialization in the country.

“We are committed to ensuring we create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive and grow. We are passionate about reducing poverty and ensuring that we support economic growth with the appropriate fiscal policies.”

She further reiterated her ministry’s commitment to open dialogue and collaborative efforts with key players in the private sector to address challenges and explore opportunities for growth – stressing the need to drive economic prosperity through public private sector partnership.

Goran Sladic, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd. Commented:

“We are thrilled at the opportunity to host the Honourable Minister and appreciate the government’s commitment to engaging with industry stakeholders.

“We are encouraged by the discussions we had with the minister and her team today and believe that it is a significant step towards building a more resilient and sustainable industry, and we are eager to contribute to the ongoing dialogues and initiatives.

This past decade has been a testament to our unwavering dedication to placing consumers at the core of our operations. Within the last decade, the Coke system has made a substantial investment of $1.32 billion, enhancing our operational capacity, revolutionizing our supply chain infrastructure, and providing extensive training to our workforce,” stated Mr. Sladic. Our commitment has extended beyond our products to encompass a wide range of community initiatives, focusing on empowering women and youth, championing water stewardship, and promoting environmental sustainability and efficient waste management.

Marking our 70th anniversary, we reinforced our pledge to Nigeria with a €1 million donation, aimed at driving impactful social programs across eight states. He affirmed NBC’s ongoing commitment to invest in their Nigerian operations and expressed optimism that favourable business conditions would bolster their capabilities and facilitate further investments.”

Source: Zawya