Henkel Nigeria remains committed to creating sustainable value for its customers, consumers, employees, as well as for the wider society and communities in which it operates. One such measure is through its concerted local sourcing efforts and the provision of multilevel jobs in the country, which aligns with the government’s backward integration policy.

Since it entered the country in 2016, the company has actively worked to reduce Nigeria’s import dependency through local sourcing. Currently, Henkel has over 60 percent of its raw and packaging materials sourced locally, as well as 80 percent of services also locally sourced.

The Managing Director / Chief Executive Officer of the company, Rajat Kapur recently stated that through its extensive local distributor network, the company provides thousands of jobs across the country with an estimated contribution of around 5,000 direct and indirect jobs in Nigeria. The company generates direct employment for more than 1,500 people in the Ibadan plant alone.

Kapur said that through their investments in local production, technology transfer, and the high standards in which they adhere to, Henkel actively contributes to upgrading the local industrial and standards base – thereby supporting the overall competitiveness of Nigeria’s economy.

He further stated that the detergent manufacturer has developed Nigeria-centric brands and products that are backed by its global German product quality and reliability standards. It also has a growing industrial ecosystem comprising of local toll manufacturers and suppliers, who support the daily operations such as raw material sourcing, packaging, transportation, trade marketing, and others, thus contributing to the economy locally while satisfying the domestic demand for products.

“We seek to be a strong contributor to the Nigerian economy while supporting its driving forces and empowering talents with the ultimate ambition to produce for Nigerians by Nigerians. Through training opportunities such as ITI schemes, as well as Henkel’s internship programme, the company aims to foster the next generation of youths in the industry and encourage them to achieve their career aspirations”, explains Kapur.

The company has also been at the forefront of supporting the government and host communities. Through Henkel’s Global Solidarity Programme, “we supported local communities affected by the global COVID-19 pandemic by donating to front-liners in Lagos state and Ibadan, donating to the Oyo State government to help state-run isolation and treatment centres and donating to the Oyo State government to run a COVID-19 ‘preventative measures’ awareness campaign’’, he added.

Another way Henkel is contributing to a sustainable future for the local economy is by driving progress towards sustainable palm oil and palm kernel oil – and making a positive impact on both the environment and the people affected. Henkel has successfully supported over 3,000 smallholder palm oil farmers in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States to increase their yield and productivity, thereby substantially improving their incomes and their families’ livelihoods, while improving the value chain.

Henkel recognizes its responsibility to prioritize safety, health, environment, social standards and fair business practice when selecting its suppliers – ensuring that they only partner with the most responsible local suppliers.