Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), a leading consumer-packaged goods company, has reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to youth empowerment and industrial growth with the graduation of 69 skilled trainees from the 27th edition of its prestigious Supply Chain Academy. The event took place at NBC’s Ikeja Plant in Lagos, drawing dignitaries from government, industry, and the community.

Established in 1996, the NBC Supply Chain Academy has become a cornerstone of technical and leadership capacity building in Nigeria’s beverage industry. Over nearly three decades, the Academy has recruited 1,460 trainees, with approximately 920 securing roles within NBC. Remarkably, 94 graduates have risen to senior positions, including one Plant Manager, underscoring the Academy’s role in grooming the next generation of leaders, innovators, and builders for the manufacturing sector.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, NBC Managing Director, Goran Sladic, highlighted the Academy as a flagship initiative in NBC’s broader mission to build human capital and strengthen Nigeria’s industrial capabilities.

“The Supply Chain Academy is just one way we demonstrate our commitment to Nigeria’s socio-economic development. Our investments in technology, infrastructure, and talent are not just about growing our business, but about empowering people, strengthening local capabilities, and embedding sustainability in everything we do,” Sladic said.

Sladic also applauded the graduates for their innovative project, ‘Smart Traffic Light,’a forward-thinking solution designed to improve safety in NBC’s facilities by replacing traditional convex mirrors with a more efficient and protective system.

“This is the type of ingenuity that will define the future of our industry,” he added.

The programme attracts the brightest Ordinary National Diploma (OND) holders from polytechnics nationwide each year, while also offering targeted skills development to NBC’s existing workforce. More than 1,100 employees benefit annually from bespoke training programs, ensuring continuous capability growth across the business.

The Academy’s curriculum blends immersive classroom sessions with extensive hands-on training. Trainees gain experience on mini production lines, work within simulated environments such as driver simulators and safety behaviour modules and have access to world-class facilities including a digital learning lab, library, on-site clinic, and canteen.

In addition to the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende, other dignitaries, including the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Adewale-SmattOyerinde, and the Chairman of the Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Adebanjo Moyosore, praised NBC’s role in bridging the skills gap and contributing to industrial talent development.

Valedictorian Anosike Miracle expressed gratitude to NBC, the Academy’s trainers, and the Ikeja leadership team, encouraging fellow graduates to apply their skills beyond the classroom and inspire the next generation.

“Success is not always about being number one; it is about being consistent, being passionate, and staying true to who we are. As we leave these walls behind, let us carry the lessons we have learned, the friendships we have built, and the values instilled in us to ensure we pass them on to the younger generation,” he said.

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