“It’s the Beer War,” in Nigeria says Tony Agah

“It’s the beer war” says Tony Agah, plant manager of InBev, in an article in the daily L’express. We let you discover the current beer scene in the country.

In a country where more than half of its 190 million inhabitants are under 30 years of age, the breweries try against all odds to seduce the young population in order to cover the market. Half of Nigerians, however, are Muslims. They “barely” consume nine liters of beer a year. A figure multinationals need to fight, when they compare consumption with countries like South Africa (57 liters of beer per year).

The big ones like Nigerian Breweries (60% of the market owned) who produce national brands like Gulder and Star, or Heineken find themselves today before other giants like the Belgian Anheuser-Busch InBev, who recently opened a factory in Lagos and with it, Budweiser beer to the country. InBev’s plant manager, Tony Agah, ironically states that there is “a new boss in the city”. And, “it’s the beer war”.

Like any country, Nigeria also suffers the consequences of the needs of the millennial era. Events such as Fashion Week, concerts or boat parties are sponsored by the breweries – competing to do so – that seek to conquer this population. However, a bigger problem attacks both the brewing industry. Such as, the lack of electricity and the deterioration of the streets, roads and highways making the work of their employees difficult.

No wonder. InBev, with the construction of the factory, installed six 12-megawatt generators to counteract frequent power outages. At the same time, they repaired the road leading to the factory.

A giant step forward is what InBev has taken with its installation in Nigeria, which is not so much a threat to Nigerian Breweries but a way to make the market more interesting, as director Emmanuel Oriakhi says: “We are ready to face any battle. They are welcome, and that will only make things more interesting.”

 

Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol. Consume sparingly.

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