Speaking at the unveiling of the ultra-modern packaging line in Ijebu-Ode Brewery on Thursday, the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, expressed belief that the investment would bring immense economic opportunities to the state.

He said the expansion of the brewery would boost the Gross Domestic Product of the country.

The governor expressed joy at the success of the project, saying the location of the brewery was strategic to the development of the state.

Also, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Otunba Niyi Adebayo, noted that the investment would boost the non-oil sector of the economy and position the country for growth.

He added that such expansion would create more jobs and increase Nigeria’s manufacturing sector’s contribution to the GPD.

The Managing Director of the company, Mr Jordi Bel, said the company had been investing consistently in the country for over 70 years.

He said with the right policies and conducive business environment, the brewery companies would continue to flourish.

He said, “This PET line represents a direct investment of N5bn and it comes at a time that due to the effect of CoVID-19, other businesses are wary of making such huge capital investments.”

According to Bel, the line will increase the production capacity of Maltina and other variants and help to serve Nigerians and other West African markets.

In his welcome remarks, the Chairman of Nigeria Breweries Plc, Kola Jamodu, said the company was making another investment in the state with the inauguration of the multi-billion Maria PET line, which would be used to deepen availability of non-alcoholic product portfolio of the company.

He commended the minister and CBN for supporting local manufacturers with incentives to mitigate the impact of the pandemic and economic downturn on business.

“You are playing a patriotic duty of keeping jobs and saving thousands of Nigerian families,” Jamodu added.

According to him, the company had in the past five years paid N326bn tax and duties to the government.