As Nigerian manufacturers face one of the worst economic turmoil and uncertainties in decades, the British Prime Minister’s Trade Representative to Nigeria, Hon. John Howell, has urged businesses to remain focused and utilize the abundant opportunities available in the country.

Mr. Howell was speaking during a courtesy visit to Guinness Nigeria Plc’s Ogba brewery, Ikeja recently. The visit was meant to reinforce Guinness Nigeria’s position as a leading Nigerian company with British roots and to show a strong solidarity by the British government.

Commenting after his 4-day tour of the country, the envoy, filled with respect, noted that, “I have been very impressed with the energy that I have seen in this country, particularly in and around Lagos. The way forward is to channel these creative energies in a positive way for the benefit of the country. I have also been impressed by the size of the opportunities and the scale of the ambitions here, they are very absolutely fantastic.”

Hon. Howell commended Guinness Nigeria for being an exemplar of possibilities and driving an innovative culture in the Nigerian business environment.

“The experience that I have had during my tour of the facilities at Guinness Nigeria and listening to the presentation by its key management has shown me how things can be done efficiently. Guinness is a thriving business that is responding to the market with lots of innovation and I think that is the secret to winning in the Nigerian market,” Howell enthused.

UK Trade envoy Hon. John Howell with Guinness Nigeria executives during a courtesy visit to Guinness Ogba brewery, Ikeja, Lagos

Speaking on Hon. Howell’s visit, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa, expressed the company’s delight at the visit which he said gave Guinness an opportunity to present its strategic commitment to the economic development of Nigeria.

Ndegwa noted that in the company’s sixty-six years existence in Nigeria as an incorporated entity, it has developed an endearing reputation for supporting the developmental needs of Nigeria; it has also maintained a strong focus on impactful projects across the country – in areas such as health, water provision, environmental protection and road safety. It has also been seen as the largest British company listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

“Our commitment to quality is visible via our people, products and processes. We remain strongly committed to strengthening the country’s manufacturing base, employment creation, manpower development and fuelling overall economic growth by strengthening our business through significant investments in manufacturing processes, driving local content development via our target to source over 80% of our raw materials locally in the coming years, and continued product innovation and cutting-edge technology,” Ndegwa said.