Minority shareholders of Guinness Nigeria Plc have urged the board of the firm to sustain the payment of interim dividends.
This was part of the fallout of the brewer’s 75th Annual General Meeting, which was held in Lagos on Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of the company’s shareholders, Sir Sunny Nwosu, lauded the management and board of Guinness Nigeria for returning the firm to profitability.
He also expressed delight in the capital appreciation of the firm’s share from less than N10 to over N400 per share within a year.
“We’ve been happy that the share price is moving up. And if you want it to move up, then it should be. Let’s pay what Nigerian shareholders want. Good dividend payment, bonuses, and every good deal that comes from a good share price.
“We are contributing money by the shares in order to enjoy the share pricing and everything else for the future,” Nwosu noted.
Another shareholder, Nona Owoh, demanded that interim dividends should become part of the brewer’s vocabulary.
“What I would be asking is, in terms of promise today, that interim dividends will become part of the vocabulary of Guinness Nigeria going forward. Every year going forward, we will pay off interim,” he declared.
On Tuesday, Guinness Nigeria Plc announced an interim dividend of N2 per ordinary share for the quarter ended March 31, 2026.
The firm’s Profit After Tax grew by 48 per cent year-on-year to N10.39bn in Q1 FY2026, from N7.03 bn in Q1 FY2025.
Earnings per share rose to N4.74 from N3.21 in the prior period.
Revenue grew by four per cent to N122.77bn, while operating profit remained resilient at N17.18bn despite margin pressures.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Guinness Nigeria, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, assured shareholders that the firm would sustain its improved performance in the first quarter of 2026 to deliver better returns on investment.
According to the chairman, during the year, Guinness Nigeria changed its financial year-end from June to December; consequently, this year’s financials include performance for 18 months from July 2024 to December 2025.
“During the year, the company’s sales grew to N730.80bn, marking a growth of 144 per cent from the previous period. This solid revenue growth was driven by optimised category mix, innovations, and timely but carefully considered price adjustments to offset inflationary and cost pressures.
“All the product categories continue to be resilient with strong growth in Ready to Drink beverages. Gross Margins improved by 152 per cent as an outcome of concerted management efforts in improving realisations while optimising cost pressures. Operating Margins improved by 251 per cent, driven by strict cost control and optimised marketing investments,” he enunciated.
According to Ajogwu, astute FX exposure management supported by improved foreign currency availability and relatively stable exchange rates helped reduce foreign exchange losses compared to previous periods.
He also reiterated the firm’s commitment to local raw materials and continued to embrace innovation.
The shareholders who commended the board and management of the firm also re-elected Mr Deepak Singhal, Mr John Musunga, and Mrs Vivien Shobo as non-executive directors. Additionally, Mrs Olusola Oworu and Mrs Bola Adesola were elected as independent non-executive directors, while Mr Mayank Kabra was elected as an executive director of the company.
Guinness Nigeria grew revenue by 144 per cent to N730.81bn at the end of 2025 from N299.49bn at the end of June 2024.
