Nigerian Bottling Company Flags Off Youth Tour In Kaduna

The Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) Ltd., a member of the Coca-Cola Hellenic Beverage Company (CCHBC), has commenced the 2025 edition of its Youth Empowered (YE) Tour, with Kaduna hosting the first stop on September 29 and 30.

In its eighth year, the Youth Empowered initiative was launched in 2017 to provide young people with entrepreneurship, career development, and digital literacy skills. It has trained thousands of Nigerian youths and has already surpassed its target of reaching one million young people across 28 countries where Coca-Cola HBC operates.

Speaking on the new edition, NBC’s Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Director, Soromidayo George, said the programme underscores the company’s long-term investment in Nigeria’s socio-economic development.

“At NBC, we believe Nigerian youths are central to the country’s progress. By empowering them with practical skills, mentorship, and opportunities, we are shaping their individual futures and contributing to the nation’s collective growth,” she said.

The 2025 edition will feature interactive workshops, capacity-building sessions, and mentorship opportunities to equip participants with practical insights into business sustainability, career advancement, and digital growth.

In a bid to make the programme more impactful, NBC earlier this year sponsored select beneficiaries to an intensive culinary masterclass, where three winners received N1 million each to support their businesses in the food and hospitality sector. Ten other participants were placed within NBC to gain practical workplace experience.

The Kaduna flag-off marks the beginning of a nationwide tour that will also take the initiative to Ondo, Port Harcourt, Edo, Benue, Niger, Jos, and Delta states. This follows the 2024 edition, which engaged youths in Abuja, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Enugu, Lagos, Kano, Anambra, and Maiduguri.