Nestlé S.A. Switzerland Increased Stake in Nestle Nigeria Plc to 66.3%

Despite growing economic uncertainties amid a decline in economic productivity, Nestlé S.A, Switzerland, the parent company of Nestlé Nigeria Plc, has continued to up its ownership percentage in Nestle Nigeria.

Nestlé S.A, Switzerland now owned 66.3 percent of the Nigerian subsidiary.

This was after the company purchased additional shares of 229,697 units in Nestle Nigeria to bring the company’s total purchase from August 20 to date to 977,744 units.

Nestlé S.A has now spent a total sum of N1.17 billion to buy shares in three transactions in its Nigerian subsidiary in 22 days.

A break down of the transactions revealed that the purchase consideration for the 229,697 additional units of Nestlé Nigeria shares at an average price of N1,249.65 per unit is put at N287 million.

Experts said Nigerian shareholders were willing to sell because of the ongoing economic hardships being witnessed in the country.

The National Coordinator, PSAN, Boniface Okezie, said, “It is expected for the foreigners to take the holdings since Nigerian shareholders are offering to sell and no domestic investor has the ability to purchase.

“I don’t see it as a mission to take over the company; I believe it is a morale booster to the Nigerian company. The regulators are watching and they will react if they are crossing the threshold.”