By Chibuzor Alli
The Coca-Cola System in Nigeria supported about 160,200 jobs and contributed an estimated $1bn in value-added economic activity in 2024, highlighting the wider economic footprint of the beverage industry beyond direct employment.
The figures were contained in a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment conducted by global consultancy Steward Redqueen on the operations of Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited and its authorised bottler, Nigerian Bottling Company.
The assessment, which applied the Leontief input-output economic model, found that only 2,989 of the jobs supported by the system were direct employment, while more than 157,200 were sustained indirectly across its wider value chain.
The jobs were spread across sectors including agriculture, logistics, retail, hospitality and distribution.
The report estimated that for every job created directly by the Coca-Cola System, another 53 jobs were supported elsewhere in the Nigerian economy.
Local suppliers receive $601m annually
The assessment also identified domestic procurement as a major channel through which the company contributes to economic activity.
According to the report, the Coca-Cola System spends about $601m annually on goods and services obtained from local suppliers.
A substantial share of the ingredients, packaging materials and other production inputs used by the company are sourced, manufactured and distributed locally.
The study said the approach has strengthened the company’s links with Nigeria’s agricultural, manufacturing and logistics sectors while creating opportunities for businesses operating along its supply chain.
Beyond the immediate supplier relationships, the report said the spending supports economic activity among businesses and workers connected to the production and distribution of Coca-Cola products.
Investment extends to recycling
The company’s reported economic footprint also includes environmental initiatives, particularly in waste management and recycling.
The assessment highlighted the packaging collection hub launched in Apapa, Lagos, with an annual processing capacity of 13,000 metric tonnes of PET plastic.
The facility is expected to support about 1,000 informal waste collectors and contribute to strengthening the country’s recycling ecosystem.
According to the study, the collection hub is designed to improve plastic recovery while supporting livelihoods connected to waste collection and recycling.
The initiative forms part of efforts to address the environmental impact associated with packaging waste while creating economic opportunities within the recycling value chain.
$25m water initiative reaches Nigerian communities
Water sustainability was another area highlighted in the assessment.
The report pointed to a $25m Africa-wide water stewardship initiative covering 20 markets, including Nigeria.
In Nigeria, communities in Borno and Imo states have benefited from projects involving the rehabilitation of boreholes, sanitation infrastructure and riverbank restoration.
The initiatives have reportedly reached more than 2.6 million people.
The study said the projects formed part of the Coca-Cola System’s broader efforts to combine its commercial activities with environmental and community-focused interventions.
$1bn investment plan remains on the horizon
The latest assessment comes as the Coca-Cola System prepares to deepen its investment in Nigeria.
The company had earlier announced plans to invest an additional $1bn in the country over the next five years, subject to the availability of a predictable and enabling policy environment.
The planned investment would come on top of the company’s existing operations and supply-chain activities in the country.
The Socio-Economic Impact Assessment concluded that the Coca-Cola System’s contribution extends beyond beverage manufacturing, with its activities generating effects across employment, local sourcing, agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, environmental sustainability and community development.
The report noted that maintaining the link between the company’s global expertise and local priorities would be important to expanding its economic impact, strengthening supply chains and creating broader opportunities for Nigerians.
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