Nigerians Spend N1.54 Trillion on Purchase of Beer, Others in 9 Months Amid Economic Hardship
- Nigeria’s three major listed brewers generated a combined revenue of over N1.54 trillion in the first nine months of 2025
- Nigerian Breweries led the market as International Breweries recorded a turnaround, and Champion Breweries delivered modest growth
- The brewers' increase in revenue highlights the sector’s strong resilience despite rising costs and economic pressures
Legit.ng journalist Victor Enengedi has over a decade's experience covering energy, MSMEs, technology, banking and the economy.
Nigeria’s major publicly listed brewing companies recorded combined revenue of more than N1.54tn from beer and non-alcoholic beverages in the first nine months of 2025, reflecting the scale of consumer spending on brewery products during the period.
Unaudited financial statements released by Nigerian Breweries Plc, International Breweries Plc and Champion Breweries Plc for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, show that strong demand for beer largely drove their revenue growth.
Source: UGC
The filings on the Nigerian Exchange Group indicate that all three companies recorded improved top-line performance compared to the same period in 2024.
Nigerian Breweries led the market
Nigerian Breweries Plc, the country’s largest brewer, generated N1.05 trillion in net revenue during the review period, a significant increase from N710.87 billion recorded a year earlier. With cost of sales at N631.23 billion, the company achieved a gross profit of N415.15 billion.
After deducting selling and distribution costs of N193.85 billion, administrative expenses of N59.58 billion, finance charges of N39.15 billion and other expenses, Nigerian Breweries reported a profit after tax of N85.51 billion.
This marked a sharp recovery from the N149.50 billion loss posted in the same period of 2024. Basic earnings per share improved to 275 kobo from a negative 1,455 kobo a year earlier.
Earlier in March, the brewer had announced a return to profitability in the first quarter of 2025, reporting a 186% year-on-year jump in net profit.
Financial results submitted to the Nigerian Exchange Limited showed that revenue for the quarter ended March 31, 2025, climbed by 68.9% to N383.6 billion, from N227.1 billion in the corresponding period of 2024.
Recall that in the first quarter of 2025, Nigerian Breweries completed its acquisition of Distell Wines and Spirits Nigeria Limited (DWSN).
International Breweries records a turnaround
International Breweries Plc also recorded a strong performance, posting revenue of N472.57 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2025, up from N343.45 billion in the previous year. The company swung to a post-tax profit of N57.83 billion, reversing a loss of N112.81 billion recorded in 2024.
Cost of sales rose to N311.64 billion from N248.58 billion, while administrative, marketing and distribution expenses increased to N92.09 billion from N72.68 billion.
The company had earlier reported a profit of N11.9 billion in the second quarter ended June 30, 2025, compared with a loss of N47.3 billion in the same quarter of 2024.
Revenue for Q2 2025 rose to N167.4 billion from N120 billion a year earlier, while gross profit improved to N61.9 billion from N33.8 billion.
Champion Breweries posts modest but steady growth
Champion Breweries Plc recorded revenue of N21.44 billion for the nine-month period, representing an increase from N14.02 billion in the same period of 2024. Profit after tax rose to N2.05 billion, compared with N21.50 million in the previous year.
The company’s cost of sales increased to N11.14 billion from N8.13 billion, while selling and distribution expenses grew to N4.24 billion from N3.25 billion.
In the third quarter of 2025, Champion Breweries acquired Bullet, a rapidly growing ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic and energy beverage brand, from Sun Mark International Limited.
Source: UGC
In total, the three brewers generated combined revenue of N1.54 trillion, with Nigerian Breweries Plc contributing the largest share.
Market analysts say the results underscore the resilience of Nigeria’s beer industry, which continues to benefit from strong brand presence and extensive distribution networks, even as rising input costs and broader economic challenges persist.
UK warns Nigeria about deadly alcoholic drinks
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the United Kingdom issued health warnings to Nigeria, Kenya, and others about deadly alcoholic drinks.
The government said that the drinks were pre-mixed with methanol poisoning from fake alcoholic drinks.
Travellers were advised to purchase only sealed drinks and avoid homemade or unregulated alcohol to ensure their safety.
Source: Legit.ng
