Nigerian Bottling Company launches three new production lines in Asejire and Challawa

Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd. has opened three new production lines. Two are at the Asejire plant in Oyo State, and one is at the Challawa plant in Kano State. The official commissioning took place during a ceremony attended by Senator John Owan Enoh, Honourable Minister of State for Industry, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment. This move shows the Coca-Cola System's commitment to its $1 billion investment plan in Nigeria over five years.

At the Asejire plant, NBC has set up two new production lines. These lines are top-notch and use the latest bottling technology. The new line at the Challawa plant is also of global standard. This line strengthens a facility that has been part of NBC's operations in Kano since 1982. With these three new lines, NBC is deepening its ties to the communities it has served for many years. This further expands its manufacturing presence across Nigeria.

During the ceremony, Goran Sladic, the Managing Director of NBC, spoke about the investments as a sign of their long-term commitment. He said, "NBC has been part of Nigeria’s growth story for 75 years. Since 1951, we have invested in people, infrastructure, manufacturing capability, and communities across the country. We are, proudly, a Nigerian company. The three new production lines we are commissioning today at Asejire and Challawa are proof of what is achievable when that commitment is matched by an enabling policy environment, and a signal that we intend to be part of this country’s story for the next 75 years and beyond."

The new lines at Asejire and Challawa are just the beginning of a nationwide plan. More production capacity will be added at NBC's plants by 2026. This builds on over $1.5 billion invested in NBC’s Nigerian operations in the last ten years. This investment is part of the Coca-Cola System’s long-term plans for Nigeria. In 2024, the System announced plans to invest up to $1 billion over the next five years, depending on a stable business environment.

Coca-Cola System's investment in Nigeria goes beyond just plants and machines. A 2024 study by global consulting firm Steward Redqueen found that the System created $1 billion in economic activity and supported over 160,000 jobs across its value chain. This means 53 jobs in Nigeria for every direct job within the System. Out of the goods and services purchased by the System in 2024, $601 million came from Nigerian suppliers. This shows a strong local connection that goes beyond just the factory.

Senator John Owan Enoh, the Honourable Minister of State for Industry, also spoke at the ceremony. He described NBC’s 75-year journey as more than just a business achievement. He said, "Seventy-five years is not merely an anniversary; it is an argument; an argument that Nigeria is worth believing in, made not in words but in plant and payroll, and sustained across three generations. When an established company deepens its capacity, lengthens its local supply chains, and spreads opportunity across Nigeria, it is not merely expanding a business. It is helping to write the industrial story this country has resolved to tell."

At the event, NBC also launched its 75th Anniversary Commemorative Product Label. The Managing Director presented this limited-edition label to the Minister. It celebrates 75 years of refreshing Nigeria and symbolizes an anniversary that belongs not just to NBC but to the millions of Nigerians who have been part of its journey.