SABMiller has announced a fresh investments worth over $10 billion expected to be completed in Ogun state this year.
This will see the brewing company lead other 19 companies to invest in the state. The investment which cut across key sectors of economy, including agriculture, mining and quarrying, production of fast moving consumer goods, banking and services.
These companies are expected to individually invest between $100 million and $2 billion in the state in the long run.
It would be recalled that Governor Ibikunle Amosun said during the presentation of 2018 Budget before the Ogun State House of Assembly, that the state currently has 140 established companies and have invested between a minimum of $200 million and in excess of $2 billion in some instances in the state.
While assuring investors of conducive environment, Amosun also declared that government has created a One-Stop-Shop that addresses investments related bottlenecks which hitherto were impeding quick access to industrial lands and land title documents as well as other documentation.
The State Government has also streamlined all efforts towards the provision of critical infrastructure as well as effective security mechanisms that protect investments, lives and property within and outside designated industrial estates.
Bimbo Ashiru, Ogun- State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, while reacting to the move by SabMiller said
“SABMiller are the largest brewery in the world, they have been able to see that Ogun state as home for them. We are central enough, we are Getaway to West African markets and we are Gateway to other Nigerian states in the country and if you are focused, you will get more investments.” He noted.
“When we came in, we did enumeration and we found out that enterprises that were in Ogun state were 4,000 and when we later conducted the enumeration, the number had increased to 25,000 because through the business premises permits, we could see how industries are registering, how small businesses are registering. So, we have been able to do that and now, we are now generating between N6 and N7 billion and the target is N10 billion or more.” He added.
According to Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS, states Internally Generated Revenue report for Q1-Q3 2017 Ogun-State generated N39.85billion which is the second highest in the country.
SABMiller, is adjudged the largest brewery in the world which was acquired by Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) a Brazilian-Belgian Group headquartered in Leuven, Belgium.
Before the entry of SABMiller into the Nigerian market, Nigerian Breweries and Guinness Nigeria were the two giants in the market. Since its entry, the two brands have had to tighten their belts, re-strategize, and launch series of campaigns to stay at the top of the market chain.
SABMiller brands include Hero Lager, Trophy Lager, Grand Lager, Castle Milk Stout, Castle Lager, Eagle, Redds and non-alcoholic malt beverages Grand Malt, Beta Malt.
