Onitsha Brewery Set For Commissioning

SABMiller Brewery valued at $100 million dollars (N15 billion) would be inaugurated in Onitsha, Anambra, in August, Mr Peter Stuttard, the Business Development Manager of the company has said.

Stuttard, while conducting newsmen round the company’s premises on Friday, said that President Goodluck Jonathan would inaugurate the brewery.

22.5 per cent share of the new brewery is owned by indigenous entrepreneurs, which consist of 10 per cent for Anambra State Government, while other private local investors have 12.5 per cent.

Stuttard said that production would commence in September after the opening by President Jonathan..

He said the construction works on the brewery, which is expected to produce beer and malt for a start, had reached 90 percent stage.

The manager said that the decision to site the ‘gigantic’ brewery in Onitsha was borne out of the fact that Onitsha is the biggest commercial city in West Africa.

“Nigeria is a strategic country for any serious-minded company that wants to achieve success in their business endeavour.

“Any prospective company which has not come to Nigeria could be said not to have arrived Africa and on the other hand, any company that wants to expand its scope cannot afford to neglect Onitsha.

“We are in Nigeria to do good business and we are here to generate employment, create wealth and attend to our corporate social responsibilities to the people and to the communities where we operate.

“All we need is cooperation from the people and as we grow, we grow with them,’’ he said

Stuttard commended Governor  Peter Obi for his ability to convince the company to come to Anambra.

“We are not alone in this business, Anambra government and Onitsha people have assisted us a lot in providing land,” he said..

He said that the company would comply with the regulations of agencies such as Standards Organisation of Nigeria, National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control and the Nigeria Customs Service for smooth operation of its business.

The parent company of the brewery is based in South Africa.