President Muhammadu Buhari is set to inaugurate a $250 million brewery, International Breweries PLC (IB Plc) at Flowergate Industrial Scheme, Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway, Ogun State.
IB Plc, which is part of the AB InBev Group, the worldโs largest brewer, which has Trophy, Hero, Betamalt, Grandmalt, Castle Lite and Eagle lager beer as its products line.
It recently launched a global brand, Budweiser.
The plant is the companyโs fourth brewery in Nigeria, after those in Ilesa (Osun), Onitsha (Anambra) and Port-Harcourt (Rivers).
It demonstrates the countryโs capacity to attract foreign direct investment to drive socio-economic growth and development.
The Plant Manager, Mr. Tony Agah, who addressed reporters at the breweryโs state-of-the-art facility, said it will be the companyโs largest plant in Africa, outside of South Africa.
Agah said it will also significantly have multiplier effect on the value chain within Ogun State, its environs as well as provide direct and indirect jobs.
According to him, other dignitaries expected to join President Buhari at the inauguration on August 28, include the Minister for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Okechukwu Enelamah; the Minster for Budget and Planning, Mr. Udoma Udo Udoma; President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar Onyeama; the global Chief Executive Officer of AB InBev, Mr. Carlos Britowill.
Also, the companyโs Managing Director, Annabelle Degroot, described the plant as a major step towards its strategic goal of producing high-quality drinks locally.
He said: โInternational Breweries Plc is a brand that places a premium on quality.โ
Degroot averred that Nigerians would be treated to the best traditions in brewing with outstanding recipes, superior ingredients, innovation and world-class techniques and provide a great opportunity to engage qualified locals.
He added: โOne of the objectives of the company is to create job opportunities for the people of Ogun state as well as Nigerians in general.
โThe plant will also be instrumental in empowering farmers as most of the raw materials required will be sourced locally. This will, in turn, contribute to the economic development of the country.โ
The companyโs Corporate Affairs Director Otunba Michael Daramola, noted that the establishment of the plant in Nigeria was in further recognition of the corollary between having prestigious brands and a befitting world-class setting.
