COVID-19: Nigerian Breweries Pledges Support to Federal and State Governments, Donates N600million
In a bid to strengthen Nigeria’s capacity with regards to the containment and eradication of the COVID-19 pandemic, foremost brewery giants, Nigerian Breweries Plc, has announced N600m worth of donations to the Federal Government and seven State Governments.
In a statement addressed to the Federal Government and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 on April 21, 2020, the company announced that its staggering donation will be directed towards ensuring that the country’s capacity in dealing with the novel virus is never at an ebb.
With Nigeria rapidly heading towards 1000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and projected to reach hundreds of thousands more, the government and its agencies currently face an uphill task in containing the virus in a most-unique socio-economic condition, characterised by a densely-populated populace, closely-knit communities, and millions of emaciated people in isolated communities. Nigerian Breweries’ donation to the COVID-19 cause will not only ensure that Nigeria is well-equipped in handling the situation but also bolsters the country’s chances in containing and eradicating the pandemic, even in the event of a worst-case scenario.
Nigerian Breweries’ N600million donation comprises monetary contributions of N250million to the Federal Government through the Coalition Against COVID-19 (CA-COVID), the private sector-led special intervention fund managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Other monetary donations include a N250million cash donation to seven State Governments’ Task Force Against COVID-19, of which Lagos and Ogun States will receive N100million and N50million respectively, due to their status as ‘COVID-19 frontline states’. It has also been revealed that five other states; Kaduna, Oyo, Enugu, Abia, and Imo will get N20million each.
In addition to the monetary donations, the company has also pledged N100million worth of relief materials comprising vehicles to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja, Lagos, Ogun, and Kaduna States, to meet their operational and logistical needs; Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as face masks, 500 gowns and 141,000 units of hand sanitizers for nationwide distribution to select states; as well as a constant supply of non-alcoholic beverages to NCDC centres nationwide to meet the nutritional needs of patients and health workers, among other contributions.
According to the Company’s Managing Director, Jordi Borrut Bel, Nigerian Breweries’ donation represents the company’s unwavering commitment to ensuring the protection of Nigerians, during a most difficult time.
With the current reality casting an uncertain future for many, the company has moved to reiterate its commitment to ensuring the job security of its workforce, numbering 3000 employees, while also stating its support for vendors and suppliers who are undoubtedly affected by the current situation.
Preceding NB’s announcement of its N600million donation, its parent company, the Heineken Company, announced a €15million donation to the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, to support their relief efforts towards catering to the most vulnerable communities affected by COVID-19, especially those in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Additionally, the Heineken Africa Foundation has also decided to spend up to €5million in partnership with various NGOs in Africa to significantly upscale and accelerate its WASH program, which focuses on providing access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
Nigerian Breweries Plc. is the pioneer and largest brewing company in Nigeria. It serves the Nigerian market spanning 800,000 retail outlets with a consumer base of over 45 million Nigerians.
