The Managing Director of the Providers Drinks Africa (SBA) Group, George Sakalis, has mentioned FMCGs in Sub-Saharan Africa can preserve operations solely when technical assist for gear arrives shortly.
He mentioned this at The SBA Resolution Occasion, which held on the SBA Rooftop, Ikeja, Lagos, final Thursday.
Sakalis defined that in lots of African markets, infrastructure gaps, logistical challenges, and dispersed places are frequent.
He famous that in such circumstances, the pace of technical response is usually extra crucial than the sophistication of the gear itself for maintaining FMCG operations working easily.
What the SBA Group MD is saying
Sakalis highlighted that in lots of Sub-Saharan African markets, a delayed technical response can halt distribution, disrupt nationwide provide, and create cascading losses.
He emphasised that pace determines whether or not a difficulty turns into a minor interruption or a serious operational failure.
“As a result of downtime compounds shortly. In lots of Sub-Saharan African markets, a delayed response can halt distribution, disrupt nationwide provide, and create cascading losses.
“Pace determines whether or not a difficulty is a minor interruption or a serious operational failure. Tools sophistication issues far much less if assist arrives late,” Sakalis mentioned.
Sakalis mentioned firms producing on a regular basis client items reminiscent of meals, drinks, and home goods depend on common gear upkeep and quick technical fixes to maintain factories working.
- He defined that speedy response to faults reduces downtime, extends machine lifespan, and stabilises manufacturing beneath difficult circumstances.
He added that dependable engineering assist has develop into important industrial infrastructure, alongside energy and logistics, enabling producers to give attention to manufacturing slightly than gear failures.
How FMCGs can maintain operations steady
Sakalis mentioned dependable and quick technical assist reduces uncertainty for FMCG producers, giving them the boldness to broaden capability, enter new markets, and commit long-term investments throughout Africa.
He famous that firms are extra prepared to scale when they’re assured operations may be maintained with out extended disruptions.
- He defined that SBA Group’s presence in additional than 30 international locations, supported by regional hubs, permits engineers and spare elements to be accessed shortly when points come up.
- This native setup, he mentioned, helps restrict downtime and prevents manufacturing stoppages that would disrupt provide chains.
- Sakalis added that constant service high quality is achieved by means of OEM-trained engineers and standardized technical processes throughout markets.
By combining international engineering requirements with native information, he mentioned FMCG producers can maintain gear working reliably whereas adapting to native working circumstances.
Extra insights
Nigeria’s client items sector confirmed robust resilience in 2025 regardless of inflation, foreign money volatility, and diminished client buying energy.
High FMCG firms on the Nigerian Alternate recorded vital features, reflecting investor confidence and the significance of operational continuity.
Main companies throughout meals, drinks, private care, and family merchandise, serving over 220 million Nigerians, noticed share costs surge between 118% and 398% in 2025.
- Unilever Nigeria rose 118%, from N32.95 to N72, whereas Nestlé Nigeria gained 124%, climbing from N875 to N1,958. Nigerian Breweries superior 135% to N75.30, Worldwide Breweries surged 152% to N14, and Cadbury Nigeria rose 179% to N59.90.
- NASCON Allied Industries gained 243% to N107.50, Honeywell Flour Mills 248% to N21.90, Champion Breweries 267% to N14.00, Vitafoam Nigeria 300% to N92.00, with Guinness Nigeria rising as the highest performer.
These robust inventory features spotlight the sector’s progress potential and reinforce why quick technical assist is crucial for FMCGs to preserve operations and meet client demand in difficult markets.
What it is best to know
FMCG progress in Africa highlights why quick technical assist is crucial. Nigeria led the continent in 2025 with 54.1% worth progress, in keeping with reviews by NielsenIQ.
The highest 5 markets, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Morocco and Kenya, account for about $42 billion in FMCG worth.
- Key classes driving gross sales embrace beer, mushy drinks, spirits, powdered milk, noodles and biscuits, with contraceptives, flavoured milk, biscuits, spirits and power drinks rising quickest.
- Shoppers are spending extra on necessities reminiscent of training, transport, utilities, groceries and childcare, whereas chopping again on non-essentials, the report famous.
Nigerian FMCG gross sales are projected to rise from N12.46 trillion in 2025 to N18.13 trillion by 2027, or as much as N23.13 trillion in an aggressive situation, exhibiting why sustaining operational continuity is crucial.
