Uganda: Nile Breweries to Invest $15 mil in its plant

Nile Breweries is to double investments this year by injecting $15m (about sh26b) in the plant, the managing director has said, according to New Vision, April 24. Nick Jenkinson said this during the employee's day celebrations at Cool Breeze Hotel in Jinja.

"Last year, we spent $6m (sh10b) on capital projects which was aimed at improving efficiency at the plant," Jenkinson explained. He said the plant's profits rose by 35% last year due to increase in volumes and efficiency.

Nile Breweries also spent about sh3b last year on paying the farmers who supplied epuripur (sorghum), a raw material for Eagle Lager.

Meanwhile, the company has already injected about sh12m in painting Jinja Hospital and at least seven zebra crossings.

The company's corporate affairs manager, Onapito Ekomoloit, said: "This is what we call direct social responsibility. We strongly believe that we must return to the community we operate in."

He said because Jinja is a growing town with a high population and traffic, the company had decided to enhance the safety of the people by painting the zebra crossings.

"Instead of widening the margin of our profits, we have decide to plough back to the community. This is part of our contribution to the Centenary celebrations to be held this year," Ekomoloit said.

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