- .Pays N34bn in Taxes in 6 Years
Nigerian Bottling Company, the bedrock of a global soft drink company, Coca-Cola has recommitted itself to the Nigerian project. This was disclosed at the recent Ikeja factory of the world leading Soft Drink Company.
By recommitting itself to ensuring that Nigerian economy comes back on track, the company communication officers said that the company has paid in over N33billion in taxes to the 3 tiers of government between 2008 and 2014.
Speaking during a media tour of the Ikeja Plant of the company, the Legal, Public Affairs and Communication, Mrs. Sade Morgan said that apart from the taxes rendered to the government, which include federal, states and local governments, the business has in its employment over 4000 full term direct employees with each direct job supports about 16 indirect jobs nationwide.
Having set up operation in 1950, the company secured a coca-Cola franchise in November 1951 thereby giving birth to a paltry two production plants at the basement of Mainland hotel in 1953 and first NBC bottling plant in Apapa in 1958, the soft drink bottling giant, has grown tremendously to set up about 11 production plants nationwide.
On distribution strength, Mrs. Morgan stated that the business has over 950 suppliers that is the 90 percent local small and medium enterprises with over 900000 distribution partners, which also translate to 70per cent women entrepreneurs, Mrs. Morgan stated.
Having paid its taxes promptly to the governments, according to Akomen Omijeh, Corporate Communications Manager of NBC, the business corporate social investment thrust anchors in 3 areas, water, youth development and women empowerment.
On the water stewardship, Omijeh said that the company’s reduction in process water usage between 2004 and 2015 is estimated at 54per cent. “We are hoping to further reduce this percentage with the upgrade of our plants across the country.”
According to him the company has provided water access to 8000 households in 14 communities and over 700 community water ambassadors have been enlisted under the company’s Water Ambassador Programme between 2010 and 2015.
For youth development, it is reported that 8000 students in public primary schools supported with back to school items since 2011. Meanwhile, infrastructure upgrade in adopted schools in partnership with state government has also been implemented.
The manpower development of the NBC through the technical training centre since 1996 has yielded over 600 graduates and over 4500 trainees nationwide, Omijeh said.
