This article is about the top 10 best FMCG companies in Nigeria this 2023 where we take a look at some of the leading Fast Moving Consumer Goods companies that have stood out over the years in Nigeria. We would like you to note that while we shall be focusing on the leading FMCG companies in the country only, there are many more in this line of business and we shall be giving them worthy mentions.
Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) are also known as Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) and they are goods that are easily sold in the market because of their high demand. Their prices are relatively low and stable, meaning that they are very affordable but because they are very high on demand, they give high turnovers for their respective companies at different quarters of the year.
These products are called fast moving because they are very quick to leave the shelves of many stores and supermarkets due to the fact that many consumers in the country use them on a regular basis.
Kindly note that fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) include the following products: packaged food, toiletries, beverages, stationery, some over the counter drugs, cleaning and laundry products, plastic goods, personal care products, to mention but a few.
With all these in mind, we shall now focus our attention on some of the leading FMCG companies in Nigeria currently as we proceed in this article. Do kindly continue reading.
TOP 10 BEST FMCG COMPANIES IN NIGERIA 2023
The following are the 10 best and leading fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in Nigeria this 2023 in no particular order:
UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC
Unilever Nigeria Plc is one of the top leading fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies in Nigeria. It is also one of the best in the business that is involved in the manufacture and marketing of foods and food ingredients as well as home and personal care products. The company’s headquarters is located at 1, Billings Way, Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos State, and it maintains a factory in Agbara, Ogun State, near Lagos.
Unilever deals in the manufacture of food products, home care and personal care products. The company’s Foods Products segment includes the sale of tea, savory and spreads while its Home Care segment includes the sale of fabric care, household cleaning and water purification products.
Unilever is famous for top international products such as: Close-Up toothpaste, Pepsodent toothpaste, LUX beauty soap, Lifebuoy soap, Rexona, Vaseline lotion and Vaseline Petroleum Jelly, Blue Band Margarine, Lipton Yellow Label Tea, Knorr cubes, Omo Multi-Active Detergent, Sunlight washing powder, Sunlight Dish washing liquid, Pears Baby Products range and Royco cubes.
NESTLÉ NIGERIA PLC
Nestlé Nigeria Plc is one of the top manufacturers of fast moving consumer goods (FMGC) in Nigeria today. This FMCG Company manufactures, markets and distributes food products such as purified water all over the Federation, and it operates through two segments: Food and Beverages. The Food segment of the company spans the production and distribution of the following: Maggi Cubes, Cerelac, Nutrend, Nan, Lactogen and Golden Morn while the Beverages segment includes production and sale of Milo, Chocomilo, Nescafé and Nestle Pure Life to mention but a few.
PZ CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC
PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc is another one of the best fast moving consumer goods (FMGC) companies in the country. This leading FMGC company which is also one of the most popular in Nigeria deals in the manufacture, distribution and sale of a range of consumer products through owned depots under various brand names, such as detergent, soap, cosmetics, medicaments, confectionery, refrigerators, freezers, air conditioners and home appliances throughout the country.
PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc operates in over five categories namely: personal care, beauty, home care, food and nutrition, and electricals. Some of the company’s products in Nigeria include Imperial Leather, Cussons Baby, Morning Fresh, Robb, to mention but a few.
CADBURY NIGERIA PLC
The origins of Cadbury Nigeria Plc date back to the 1950s when the business was founded as an operation to source cocoa beans from Nigeria and as a precursor to enable the company’s founders to tap opportunities for serving the local consumer-market with world-famous, Cadbury-branded products.
In the early 1960s, an initial operation was established to re-pack imported bulk products. This packing operation grew rapidly into a full fledged manufacturing operation and resulted in the incorporation of Cadbury Nigeria Limited in January 1965. In 1976, this FMCG firm became a publicly listed company with shares traded locally on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.
Cadbury Nigeria has grown to become a household name providing consumers with much loved brands. Introduced in 1960, Cadbury Bournvita, the company’s flagship brand, was initially imported and re-packed locally on the current site at Agidingbi, Ikeja Lagos. Having consolidated the Food Drinks market in Nigeria, Cadbury Bournvita became in 1965 the first Food Drink to be locally manufactured.
Cadbury Bournvita was re-launched in a World Class, Environmentally Friendly Polypropylene Jar in 2011 and remains today a market leader in the Food Drinks category. In 2013, the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN) endorsed Cadbury Bournvita as a Food Drink rich in energy and essential micronutrients, the only Food Drink Brand to be so endorsed.
Cadbury Nigeria also developed other product-categories, most notably Candy. Introduced in 1970, Tom Tom, the big, black and white sweet for soothing relief which has sustained market leadership for over 40 years, remains the most iconic brand in the Nigerian Candy market. It now comes in three variants: Classic, HoneyLemon and Strawberry. The other brand in the company’s Candy portfolio is Trebor Buttermint, the delicious sweet with the double pleasure of butter and mint.
In 2012, the company expanded its product categories in Nigeria when it launched Tang, the global leader in powdered beverages. Cadbury Nigeria owned 99.66% equity in Stanmark Cocoa Processing Company Limited, located in Ondo Town in Ondo State, Nigeria. The Company provides all the cocoa powder required for manufacturing Cadbury Bournvita. Stanmark Cocoa Processing Company Limited processed cocoa beans into several high quality cocoa by-products (such as cocoa butter, cocoa powder, cocoa cake and cocoa liquor) for local and export markets.
In April 2013, Cadbury Nigeria acquired the majority equity-interests in Stanmark Cocoa Processing Company Limited, becoming part of the enlarged Cadbury Nigeria family and now known as Cadbury Nigeria Plc Cocoa Processing Plant.
PROMASIDOR NIGERIA PLC
Promasidor is a food and beverage giant that distributes affordable food and beverage products of superior quality across Africa. Promasidor Nigeria has achieved tremendous growth since 1993 when it commenced operations, and presently employs about 1015 people across the country. Today, Promasidor holds a leading position in the Nigerian powdered milk market with its Cowbell Milk brand, which has found its way into the hearts and homes of thousands of consumers. Other FMCG that make up the Promasidor brand include Cowbell Chocolate, Cowbell Coffee, Loya Milk, Miksi Milk, Onga Seasoning Powder, Top Tea, etc.
DANGOTE GROUP
Dangote Industries Limited is a diversified and fully integrated conglomerate with vibrant operations in Nigeria and Africa across a wide range of sectors including cement, sugar, salt, condiments, packaging, energy, port operations, fertilizer, and petrochemicals. Their core business focus is to provide local, value added products and services that meet the basic needs of the populace through the construction and operation of large scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and across Africa.
FLOUR MILLS OF NIGERIA PLC
Incorporated on September 29, 1960, as a limited liability company and pioneer wheat miller in Nigeria, Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc (FMN) started out on a journey that has seen the company evolve into what is now one of the biggest brands in the foods and agro-allied industry in Africa. Over the years, the FMN brand grew tremendously from operating as a single business, flour miller, to a vast business group with strategic investments that cover key sectors of the Nigerian economy.
The group’s operations can be categorized into four major sectors of Food, Sugar, Agro-allied, and Support services. Their foray into the Agric sector started in 1978, with the acquisition of a 10,000-hectare farm in Kaboji, Niger state as part of an investment and expansion strategy designed to create value in the supply chain and reduce the reliance on imported raw materials. Since then, FMN ha made substantial investments in the primary processing of locally grown soybean, palm fruit, cassava, maize, sugar cane, sorghum, and the storage, aggregation and distribution of locally sourced grains.
Flour Mills Of Nigeria Plc is passionate about feeding the nation and for over five decades, they have maintained a rich tradition of enhancing the quality of living for Nigerian families by producing a wholesome portfolio of food options. The company’s iconic food brand, “Golden Penny”, is a household name that is trusted by many for good food and for daily nourishment.
FMN’s interest in becoming the nation’s leading food business company is furthered by entities operating in agriculture, livestock feed and pasta manufacturing. As such, the collective clout of FMN stands poised to help achieve the company’s objectives while simultaneously improving lives.
Evolving from a single Flour Mill in the port of Apapa in Lagos State more than five decades ago, FMN are now a publicly traded, vertically integrated supply chain of food, agro-allied and logistics and support businesses.
NIGERIAN BREWERIES PLC
Nigerian Breweries Plc, the pioneer and largest brewing Company in Nigeria was incorporated in 1946 as “Nigerian Brewery Limited”. In June 1949, the Company recorded a landmark when the first bottle of Star lager beer rolled out of its Lagos Brewery bottling lines.
In 1957,the company commissioned its second brewery in Aba and the name became “Nigerian Breweries Limited”. This was followed by Kaduna Brewery in 1963 and Ibadan Brewery in 1982. Following the coming into effect of the Companies and Allied Matters Act in 1990,the name of the company was changed to “Nigerian Breweries Plc” to reflect its public limited liability status.
In 1993, the Company acquired its fifth brewery in Enugu and in 2003, a sixth brewery (Ama Brewery), sited at Amaeke Ngwo in Enugu State was commissioned. Operations in the old Enugu Brewery were discontinued in 2004 following the completion of Ama Brewery. An ultramodern malting plant was acquired in Aba in 2008.
In October 2011, the Company acquired majority equity interests in two companies, Sona Systems Associates Business Management Limited (“Sona Systems”), with two breweries in Ota and Kudenda, Kaduna, and Life Breweries Company Limited (“Life Breweries”) with a brewery in Onitsha. Another malting plant (located in the Kudenda, Kaduna Brewery) was acquired as part of the Sona Systems acquisition. Sona Systems and Life Breweries were merged with the Company in the middle of 2012. At the end of 2014, an enlarged Nigerian Breweries Plc emerged from a merger with Consolidated Breweries Plc. Three breweries at Imagbon, near Ijebu-Ode, Awo-Omamma, near Owerri and Makurdi were added to the existing eight breweries as a result of the merger. The Onitsha and Makurdi locations were subsequently developed into Distribution Centres.
Thus, from a humble beginning in 1946,the Company now has nine fully operational breweries from which its high quality products are produced and distributed to all parts of Nigeria, in addition to the two malting plants in Aba and Kaduna. It also has Sales Offices and Distribution Centres across the country.
Nigerian Breweries Plc has a rich portfolio of high quality brands: Star lager beer was launched in 1949, followed by Gulder lager beer in 1970. Maltina, the nourishing malt drink, was introduced in 1976, followed by Legend Extra Stout in 1992 and another malt drink, Amstel Malta in 1994. Heineken lager beer was re-launched into the Nigerian market in 1998. Fayrouz, the premium non alcoholic soft drink, was launched in 2006 while Climax herbal energy drink was launched in 2010.
Following the acquisition of Sona Systems and Life Breweries in 2011, Goldberg lager, Malta Gold malt drink and life Continental lager, were added to the brand portfolio. The Company increased its portfolio of brands in 2014 with the addition of two line extensions of the Star brand: Star lite and Star Radler. Also in 2014, as a result of the merger with Consolidated Breweries Plc, “33” Export lager beer, Williams Dark Ale, Turbo King Dark Ale, More lager beer and a malt drink, Hi Malt, became part of the Company’s product offering.
The Ace brand in the Ready-to-Drink (RtD) category was launched in 2015 while Tiger lager beer, an international premium brand was added to the portfolio of brands in 2018. The Company has an export business which dates back to 1986. The current export destinations are the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, United States of America, Canada, some parts of Africa and parts of the Middle East and Asia.
NIGERIAN BOTTLING COMPANY
Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC) is the bottling partner for The Coca-Cola Company in Nigeria. Their system partners, The Coca-Cola Company owns the brands and is responsible for consumer brand initiatives. NBC manufactures, packages, merchandises and distributes the refreshing Coca-Cola products to their trade partners and consumers. Other consumer brands produced by the Nigerian Bottling Company include the following: Coke Zero, Fanta and Sprite, Eva Water, Five Alive. Their latest categories in the Nigeria market are energy drinks such as Monster and Predator Gold.
GUINNESS NIGERIA PLC
Guinness Nigeria Plc is home of the first Guinness brewery outside of the British Isles. The first bottle of Guinness Foreign Extra Stout in Nigeria was brewed on the November 30, 1963, three years after Nigeria’s independence, opening up opportunities for the overseas Guinness Foreign Extra Stout brewing in other parts of the world. Two years later, in 1965, Guinness Nigeria was listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Guinness Nigeria is the world’s second-largest market for Guinness, and a major part of the inspiring long history of brand Guinness.
Steady growth in markets for Guinness Stout and Harp Lager during the next 30 years prompted the building of three more major breweries in Nigeria. In 1974, the company built a second brewery in Benin, where it produced Harp lager beer. This facility was later expanded to accommodate a second stout brewery, commissioned in 1978. In 1982, a fourth Guinness brewery was built in Ogba, Lagos to brew Harp Premium Lager beer. This site too, was expanded to include Guinness Stout.
In 2011, the Benin and Ogba breweries were expanded to further increase capacity and meet the growing demand for Guinness Nigeria products which include the acclaimed brands: Guinness Foreign Extra Stout, Guinness Extra Smooth, Malta Guinness, and Harp Lager beer. Other brands include Gordon’s Spark, Smirnoff Ice, Armstrong Dark Ale, Satzenbrau Pilsner, Top Malt, Harp Lime, Dubic Extra Lager and most recently, Malta Guinness Low Sugar.
Currently, the company is proud to be the only Total Beverage Alcohol Company in Nigeria. This means that they are the only company currently with a wide portfolio of brands catering to alcohol and non-alcohol drinkers, with Spirits, Lager & Beers, and Non-Alcoholic drinks.
Other worthy mentions include the following:
- Chi Limited
- Reckitt Benckiser Nigeria Limited
- Orange Group Limited
- Procter & Gamble
- Lafarge Africa Plc
- Seven-Up Bottling Company
- UAC Of Nigeria Plc
- Vital Products Plc
- Sona Agro Allied Foods Limited
- Yale Foods Limited
- Beloxxi Industries Limited
- The La Casera Company Plc
- OK Foods Limited
- FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc
- Zubee International Company Limited
- Bimzy Super Stores Ventures
- DuFil Prima Foods Plc
- Apples and Pears Limited
- SC Johnson
- Daraju Industries Limited
- May & Baker Nigeria Plc
- GlaxoSmithKline
- Deli Foods Nigeria Limited
- British American Tobacco
- CWAY Food and Beverages Nigeria Company Limited
- Rite Foods Limited
- Honeywell Flour Mills Plc
- Newbisco Limited
- Honeyland Foods Limited, etc.
