The External Affairs Director of British American Tobacco West and Central Africa, Odiri Erewa-Meggison, has called on Nigerian manufacturers to seize the vast opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area for long-term growth and competitiveness.
According to a statement, Erewa-Meggison urged companies to break free from the limitations of Nigeria’s domestic market and expand across Africa.
The charge was part of her remarks delivered at the recently held 2025 BUSINESSDAY Manufacturing Conference, themed ‘Unlocking Nigeria’s Manufacturing Potential: Strategies for Sustainable Growth Amidst Economic Turbulence’.
She declared, “Africa is your next growth frontier,” as she told industry stakeholders that “businesses that align their models to the AfCFTA framework will be best positioned for future success.”
According to Erewa-Meggison, regional integration through the AfCFTA presents powerful levers for scale, investment, and knowledge exchange at a time Nigeria’s manufacturing sector faces rising inflation, foreign exchange scarcity, and infrastructure deficits.
Erewa-Meggison, highlighting BAT Nigeria’s journey through decades of economic turbulence, stated that the company’s resilience was rooted in strategic foresight, local investment, and a deep commitment to sustainability.
She disclosed that BAT commands a 55 per cent domestic shipment share and operates a $185m manufacturing hub in Ibadan, which exports to 11 countries, including the United States.
“Our operations contribute $110m annually in foreign exchange earnings,” she said, describing it as a significant boost to Nigeria’s forex-starved economy.
She also revealed that the company paid over ₦415 bn in taxes between 2018 and 2023, trained over 600 staff annually in leadership and technical skills, and maintained a zero lost-time incident record since 2021.
Erewa-Meggison added, “Creating a better tomorrow starts with empowering the people who are building it today,” as she hailed the company’s achievement of 67 per cent of senior leadership being Nigerian nationals.
She noted that BAT Nigeria also boasts an inclusion score of 86 per cent. According to Erewa-Meggison, women currently occupy 36 per cent of management roles and 38 per cent of senior leadership positions.
Erewa-Meggison stated that sustainability is a business imperative, noting that BAT Nigeria has embedded Environmental, Social and Governance principles across its operations, with all sites certified as zero-waste and 30 per cent of the water used in production being recycled. She also confirmed that the company is on track to achieve 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2030.
To institutionalise ESG values across sectors, she said BAT Nigeria has partnered with the ESG Forum to promote knowledge-sharing and equip young professionals for sustainability-focused careers.
On innovation, she noted that the firm is integrating digital technologies, including artificial intelligence and real-time monitoring, to boost efficiency and decision-making in its manufacturing processes.
Erewa-Meggison concluded by urging industry players to rethink traditional models and embrace collaboration, policy advocacy and industrial cluster development. “Nigeria’s manufacturers must build for the future, a future that is digital, inclusive, sustainable, and regionally integrated,” she asserted.
