*Restates commitment to investment in Nigeria
*Highlights recent expansion plans and positive financial results
GUINNESS Nigeria Plc at the weekend disclaimed false relocation claims trending on social media that it is selling its assets to relocate permanently from Nigeria. This was disclosed in the notification sent to the Nigerian Exchange and signed by Mr Rotimi Odusola the Company Secretary and Corporate Relations Director.
According to the company, “the attention of the Management has been drawn to some false, malicious, and misleading publication trending on some social media platforms falsely alleging that Guinness Nigeria is relocating out of Nigeria and consequently planning to sell some assets.”
Specifically, the letter states that this falsehood is being irresponsibly circulated by faceless persons purporting to be property agents and unfortunately being amplified by some online news media without proper checks with the management of the company.
However, Guinness Nigeria Plc said it has no plans to exit Nigeria contrary to the orchestrated false publication making the rounds. “We are strong, stable, and delivering value to our esteemed stakeholders”.
It added that the company would also like to clearly state that the malicious publication is not in tandem with their well-publicized investment and expansion drive, as it recently reaffirmed their long-term strategic expansion plans in Nigeria with the acquisition of an additional 25-acre commercial property in the Ogba industrial area of Lagos purchased recently in late 2021.
It would be recalled that Guinness Nigeria recently announced its half year unaudited financial result for the 6 months ended 31st December 2021 in which the brewer notified their esteemed shareholders of their stellar performance in which its 6 months’ operating profit grew by 266 per cent to N13.6 billion.
Contrary to the false information being circulated by detractors, the company said it has renewed its efforts to serve its revered consumers and create more job opportunities for Nigerians as seen in the new $5 million additional production line recently commissioned at their brewery in Ogba, Lagos in October 2021.
The company said it is pleased to state that it is on the verge of completing work on its new ultra-modern administrative head office block located in Ikeja where it will be moving in the next few weeks.
“We urge our esteemed shareholders, employees, stakeholders, and members of the public to ignore the false, malicious, and misleading publication in whatever form as it never emanated from the management of Guinness Nigeria Plc”.
“Guinness Nigeria, part of the world’s largest premium drinks company, Diageo Plc., is home of the first Guinness brewery outside of the British Isles. Established in 1950, we are one of the oldest surviving manufacturing companies in Nigeria”. Guinness Nigeria is said to have subscribed to the highest standards of corporate governance and will continue to demonstrate the highest standards of integrity, and especially guarantee that its engagement with consumers, government agencies, suppliers, shareholders, and other stakeholders is driven by their values and principles.
The management of the company said they confidence in the Nigerian economy and just as they have done for the past seventy-one years, they will remain a major player in the country by continually investing, developing capabilities, growing brands that most suit the consumers’ needs; and contributing positively to lives, communities and the environment.
