Winners have emerged in the ongoing empowerment campaign tagged ‘My Million Don Land’ by non-alcoholic beverage giant, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC). This initiative is aimed at enriching the lives of stakeholders in the distribution chain of the business with one-million-naira seed capital each in form of products and other facilities to set up or expand their own personal businesses.
Since the initiative kicked off in 2018, 28 winners comprising street hawkers and retail hub owners have emerged after series of open market activations conducted across major markets in Lagos, receiving 1 million naira each. 14 schools have also been beneficiaries of with 5 Computers each.
Speaking on the initiative, the External Communications Manager, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, Olatomiwa Akande revealed that the ‘My Million Don Land’ Empowerment Campaign is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts to empower Nigerians and key stakeholders who have over the years continually contributed to the growth of the business.
“For us at Nigerian Bottling Company Limited, we believe our business must be an integral part of providing solutions to social challenges and also tackling issues that has over the years become dreaded problems to the society. With this initiative, we have started re-establishing individuals who risk their lives everyday trading our products on the streets and in traffic to now own their own retail shops” she said.
Speaking on the mechanism of the empowerment initiative, Acting Commercial Manager, Ikeja Commercial Territory, Nigerian Bottling Company, Otisi Diana Chioma stated that mystery shoppers visited open market scattered in different part of Lagos where they randomly selected the lucky winners (hawkers) who in turn directed the company to the hub owners supplying them with certain Coca-Cola products.
“To stand the chance of being selected in any of the locations, the mystery shopper went out in search of any hawker with Coke Zero, Limca, and Fanta Apple in its stock. Once they identified the person or hawker, the hawker then takes the mystery shopper to the hub owner supplying him or her with the three variants” she stated. Each winner, both the street trader and hub owner, was presented with a cheque for one million naira each.
Among the list of lucky street trader selected include Chinedu Nwoye, Omolola Olarinoye, Elizabeth Kilani, Wunmi Akanbi, Bolanle Hafisat, Sadiat Alimot and Dayo Olugbode. Apart from the street hawkers, some hub owners who have emerged winners from the initiative includes; Olajumoke Omotuyole, Banjo Olushile, Karimotu Abiose, Olajide Ajutemisan and Akinkunmi Mojisola.
A highly elated Chinedu Nwoye thanked NBC for the initiative stressing that the empowerment has changed his story for good. “This is really a business upgrade for me. Now, I can aspire to expand the business the more. I am happy that this initiative has succeeded in taking me off the street, now I am free from the risk associated with trading on the street or traffic. I don’t have to disturb myself with fear of arrest. I can do my business with rest of mind. I am sure my parents would be happy with me when they hear this news” Chinedu adds.
