NBC Celebrates 69 Graduates, Strengthening the Next Wave of Industry Leaders

L-R: Director-General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde; Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), Goran Sladic; Supply Chain Capability Development Manager, Misan Ilesanmi; Best Graduating Student, Supply Chain Academy, Anosike Miracle; Honourable Commissioner, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Lagos State, Mobolaji Ogunlende; Chairman, Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Adebanjo Moyosore; and Director, Supply Chain, NBC, Franz Schepping during the 27th Supply Chain Academy graduation ceremony at NBC, Ikeja Plant in Lagos, recently

The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to youth empowerment as 69 trainees graduated from the 27th edition of its Supply Chain Academy in Lagos.

Held at the company’s Ikeja Plant, the colourful ceremony was graced by dignitaries from government, business, and the community, including the Lagos State Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Hon. Mobolaji Ogunlende; the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde; and the Chairman of the Onigbongbo Local Council Development Area, Adebanjo Moyosore, all of whom praised NBC for equipping young people with the skills needed to thrive in today’s fast-changing world.Since it was founded in 1996, the NBC Supply Chain Academy (formerly known as the Technical Training Centre) has trained over 1,400 young Nigerians, with hundreds securing employment at NBC and many rising to senior leadership positions, including one graduate who is now a Plant Manager.

Every year, the Academy recruits brilliant OND graduates from polytechnics across Nigeria, providing them with technical training, leadership development, and hands- on experience on real production lines. More than 1,100 NBC employees also benefit annually from tailored programs at the Academy, making it a hub for continuous learning and growth.Speaking at the ceremony, NBC Managing Director, Goran Sladic, congratulated the graduates and highlighted the Academy’s role in grooming future leaders for Nigeria’s manufacturing industry.

Our investments in people, technology, and infrastructure are not just about growing our business, but about empowering people and building stronger communities, he said.

In his valedictory speech, Anosike Miracle encouraged his fellow graduates to take their new skills beyond the classroom and use them to inspire others.

Success is not always about being number one; it’s about passion, consistency, and staying true to who we are, he said.

As the applause echoed through NBC’s Ikeja Plant, the graduates left with more than certificates — they carried with them the confidence, discipline, and vision to become the next generation of innovators and leaders in Nigeria’s industrial sector.

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