By Abbas Nazil
Nigeria’s multi-billion beverage company, Rite Foods, is escalating competition with century-old global brands, Coca-Cola and Pepsi, while fronting an aggressive push to curb plastic waste in Lagos.
In a revelation that has ruffled the nation’s beveage industry, Rite Foods disclosed that it has collected over 40 tons of plastic waste across Lagos under a global recycling and anti-pollution campaign.
The initiative, branded “RiteOnTheBeach,” was executed with eco-resort Pop Beach Club and supported by the Lagos State Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).
To spur mass participation, the company distributed more than 30,000 recovery bags to residents for collection and returning plastic for recycling.
Well-kitted Rite Foods staff joined collection points and sorted bottles themselves in a move the firm says aimed to reduce emissions and reinforce a culture of responsibility.
“This result reinforces our belief that collective and consistent actions yield lasting impact,” said Rite Foods Managing Director Seleem Adegunwa.
He described “RiteOnTheBeach” as a lifestyle shift aligned with Lagos State’s ambition for a sustainable, clean, and healthy environment.
Founded by one of Nigeria’s foremost industrialists and social entrepreneurs, Chief Adebola Adegunwa, Rite Foods is a formidable African company that boasts of leading brands, including Bigi soft drinks, Fearless Energy drink, and Rite sausages.
Analysts value Nigeria’s beverage market at roughly $4 billion, making Rite Foods’ contests with global giants both high-stakes and highly visible.
While Chief Adebola Adegunwa retains the company’s chairmanship, day-to-day leadership rests with his visionary son, Seleem, who is steering both growth and sustainability drives.
Explaining the RiteOnTheBeach campaign, Corporate Affairs Chief, Ekuma Eze, said the company views waste recovery as integral to the product life cycle rather than a peripheral CSR activity.
Eze, who noted that “Plastic is not the problem; improper disposal is,” argued that better recovery protects ecosystems and unlocks innovations that convert waste into valuable products.
Rite Foods says its partnership with Pop Beach Club has already removed thousands of tons of plastic from Lagos shorelines over time.
The collaboration channels part of proceeds to a back-to-school program for underserved children, linking waste recovery with education outcomes.
Rite Foods’ groundbreaking environmental push builds on its founder’s philanthropic record that includes a $1 million donation for a trauma centre at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ogun State, among others.
The centre is designed to treat crash victims and other patients needing urgent care, expanding access in a critical public health domain.
Beyond healthcare, Adegunwa’s family has backed schools and cultural initiatives, broadening the social footprint of the business conglomerate.
Eze said the company’s well thought out sustainability drive aims to cement consumer trust as competition intensifies and regulations tighten around packaging and waste management.
For Rite Foods, scaling recovery systems could mitigate environmental risk while differentiating local brands against multinational rivals, he noted.
In commending the Rite Foods’ initiatives, stakeholders believe corporate-backed cleanups will complement government efforts to manage plastic waste and mitigate flooding and environmental pollution.
The RiteOnTheBeach campaign is seen as an exemplary climate action that balances the company’s growth plan with environmental stewardship as a veritable brand strategy in Africa’s biggest beverage market.
