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drinks 1 min readSeptember 3, 2026

Who Owns Nigerian Breweries?

Short answer: Heineken. The Dutch brewer holds about 72.9% of NGX-listed Nigerian Breweries — maker of Star and Gulder — through three subsidiaries.

Nigerian Breweries — the country's largest brewer, maker of Star, Gulder and Legend — is majority-owned by Heineken. The Dutch group holds about 72.9% of the NGX-listed company through three entities 1: Heineken Brouwerijen B.V., Heineken International B.V. and Distilled Trading International B.V.

Heineken has been consolidating its Nigerian position for years — including having Nigerian Breweries take full ownership of the local Distell business 2, part of the same wave of dealmaking as the €2.2bn Distell takeover that also handed Heineken South Africa's Amarula.

So the beer in Nigerian hands is brewed by a Nigerian institution — but the balance sheet is Dutch. It is the same pattern as Amarula and the wider drinks land-grab: African brands, foreign owners. Tracked in Who's Buying Africa.

By the NumbersOwnership at a glance
~72.9%[1]
Heineken's stake in Nigerian Breweries (via three subsidiaries)
Star · Gulder[1]
Flagship brands owned through the Dutch-controlled brewer

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References

  1. 1.BusinessDay Nigerian Breweries: why 81% equity concentration mattersHeineken's ~72.9% holding in Nigerian Breweries through three named entities; NGX listing.
  2. 2.Global Drinks Intel Heineken-led Nigerian Breweries buys remaining stake in Distell's Nigeria businessNigerian Breweries taking full ownership of the local Distell business under Heineken.

In the Index

#whoowns#nigerianbreweries#heineken#nigeria#drinks#starlager#valuecapture
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