British American Tobacco, BAT company has moved to build a stronger relationship with Nigerian Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service and Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC in its efforts to sustain its business operation in Nigeria, create more employment and generate increased revenue for government.
BATN which commissioned its $150 million factory in Ibadan in 2003, created over 350,000 direct and indirect jobs, paid over N400 billion in taxes, generate about $110million from exports to 14 African countries and invested over N2 b in corporate social responsibility sees a deepened relationship with critical government agencies as motivation to contribute more to Nigeria’s economic diversification and its role in the country’s socio-economic development.
The expanded relationship, which is crucial this time, it believes will enable it tackle operational challenges and enhance its competitive effectiveness especially as African Free Trade Agreement will allow free movement of goods across regions.
Chatting with zonal heads of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), and representative of Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) who paid a courtesy visit to the BAT factory in Ibadan, recently, Pat Rich, BATN’s Director, Legal Affairs, for West and Central Africa, told them that “You are really instrumental to everything we do. I really do hope that we sustain this partnership and warm relationship,” for economy benefit.
The NCS team was led by the Controller Oyo/Osun command, Babajide Jaiyeoba, while the Comptroller, Oyo State command of the NIS, Isah Dansuleiman, led the team of officials from the NIS. The Trade Promotion Advisor of the NEPC, Bolanle Emmanuel, led the Oyo State NEPC delegation.
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Speaking on the investments made by the company, Director, External Affairs, BAT West and Central Africa, Odiri Erewa-Meggisson, said that the company has invested massively in Nigeria since its inception.
She noted that the company’s bid to expand its scope across the West and Central Africa market necessitated an expansion of the initial investment in the company’s factory from $150 million to over $185 million. “It is an indication of how committed we are as a group in investing in Nigeria, which is the hub of our business in West and Central Africa,” she remarked.
“Nigeria is important to us and you (trade regulatory agencies) are critical to our business because our relationships help to drive a sustainable business not just for today but also well into the future”.
She said Nigeria is a hub for the West and Central Africa region. “We have collectively paid more than N400 billion to date and have grown from exports of products from the initial three countries to 14 countries now, thereby generating foreign exchange for the country”.
The Director of Operations, BAT West and Central Africa, Alberto Kauer, spoke on the future plans for the factory and the company’s investments. “We have several opportunities, which include generating more exports and by so doing increasing revenues and growing the Nigerian economy.
“Every year, we generate about $110million dollars from exports to 14 African countries from BAT facilities in Nigeria. As a company, we need the support of all the agencies of government here today to do this together. This year, we are going to install the first solar energy in the company. In this factory, we have the capacity to produce more even as we keep doing our business in the right way,” he said.
Kauer also spoke about the company’s business transformation to build A Better Tomorrow and its business sustainability agenda. He said that BAT is focused on reducing the health impact of its business through new categories and scientifically proven risk-reducing products and reducing its carbon footprint. He noted that the company plans to install the first solar energy in the factory next year.
On their part, the visitors – Dansuleiman, Jaiyeoba and Bolanle commended BAT for its huge contribution to the Nigerian economy and pledged their continued support for the company and sustained cooperation between their organisations and the company. Jaiyeoba described BAT as one of NCS’s very compliant companies, noting how critical it is for the service to support the company by promoting its trade in order to generate revenue for government, especially through the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCTA).
While expressing delight for the value added by BAT to the Nigerian economy, the NEPC Oyo State Trade Advisor, in her address, promised that management of the NEPC will not relent in ensuring that it clears the outstanding Export Expansion Grants (EEG) due to BAT.
