By Ebenezer Mabinuola
Nestlé Nigeria PLC has announced a dramatic financial turnaround for the first quarter of 2025, posting robust revenue growth and a return to profitability after a challenging 2024. The FMCG giant reported a profit before tax of ₦51.2 billion, reversing a staggering loss of ₦196.1 billion recorded in Q1 2024.
According to the company’s official statement, Nestlé Nigeria achieved a 61% year-on-year revenue growth, reaching ₦294.9 billion in Q1 2025. Operating profit surged to ₦74.1 billion—up 254% from ₦20.9 billion in the same period last year—driven by strong cost control, improved margins, and increased consumer demand.
Key performance indicators for Q1 2025 include:
• Revenue: ₦294.9 billion (+61% YoY)
• Operating Profit: ₦74.1 billion (vs ₦20.9 billion in Q1 2024)
• Profit Before Tax: ₦51.2 billion (vs -₦196.1 billion)
• Profit After Tax: ₦30.2 billion (vs -₦142.7 billion)
• Equity Position: Improved by ₦30 billion
Wassim Elhusseini, Managing Director and CEO of Nestlé Nigeria, attributed the company’s strong performance to a strategic focus on operational efficiency and resilient brand equity. “The results for Q1 2025 reflect our unwavering commitment to operational excellence and strong fundamentals,” he said. “This performance builds on our Q4 2024 recovery and underscores the effectiveness of our turnaround strategy.”
Elhusseini also emphasized Nestlé’s ongoing focus on innovation, margin management, and community impact. “We are committed to delivering sustainable value through product innovation, efficiency enhancements, and investments in the communities we serve,” he added.
Despite the impressive turnaround, Nestlé acknowledged the persistence of macroeconomic headwinds, including inflationary pressures on input costs, rising logistics expenses, and ongoing exchange rate volatility. Nonetheless, the company’s solid fundamentals and six-decade legacy in Nigeria position it well for sustained growth in 2025 and beyond.
Analysts view Nestlé Nigeria’s Q1 2025 results as a positive signal not only for the company’s shareholders but also for Nigeria’s broader consumer goods sector, which has been under pressure from foreign exchange challenges and inflation over the past year.
