By Aduragbemi Omiyale

A new product has been launched into the Nigerian market by a leading innovative and sustainable building solutions company, Lafarge Africa Plc.

The cement miller, renowned for the manufacturing of high-quality building solutions, has introduced the first low-carbon ready-mix concrete in Nigeria known as EcoCrete.

The company is coming with this new innovative product after the success of EcoPlanet Unicem and EcoPlanet Elephant cement products that were introduced in 2024 and 2025 respectively, as part of Lafarge Africa’s efforts to provide sustainable alternatives across its product range.

The introduction of this new product is expected to pave way for contractors, engineers, and architects to meet their sustainability goals without compromising on strength, durability, or workability.

This is because EcoCrete delivers a minimum of 20 per cent reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with conventional CEM I concrete, while maintaining the same high performance and reliability.

Lafarge Africa’s Abuja Ready-Mix (RMX) plant has been fully converted to 100 per cent EcoCrete production, marking the first phase of this groundbreaking rollout.

Speaking on EcoCrete, the chief executive of Lafarge Africa, Mr Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, said the introduction of EcoCrete expands the company’s portfolio of sustainable solutions, reinforcing its commitment to decarbonizing Nigeria’s construction sector, noting that the launch demonstrates the company’s commitment to offering innovative solutions that empower customers to build better with less.

“The introduction of EcoCrete is another bold step in our mission to enable builders and our customers make smart choices and support Nigeria’s transition to a greener economy. Just like our ECOPlanet cement, EcoCrete represents a game-changing innovation that combines performance with reduced carbon footprint,” he said.

On the benefits of the product, the Head of Aggregates and Readymix for Lafarge Africa, Mr Derek Williamson, explained that EcoCrete offers superior performance across a wide range of applications including housing, commercial buildings, roads and bridges.

“EcoCrete provides superior performance while significantly reducing carbon emissions in the environment. It is versatile and reliable for a wide range of applications from residential housing to commercial and infrastructure projects.

“With EcoCrete, builders and developers can now make environmentally conscious choices without compromising on strength, durability, or workability,” he stated.

Also commenting, the Head of Innovation and New Product Development at Lafarge Africa, Mr Emmanuel Ilaboya, described the product as the preferred solution to tackling the challenges posed by climate change in the country.

“EcoCrete is more than just a product; it is a climate-smart innovation designed to address the urgent need for sustainable construction. EcoCrete represents an innovative concrete solution developed through extensive research and testing.

“With EcoCrete, we provide a scalable alternative that significantly lowers CO₂ emissions and supports Nigeria’s path towards sustainable development,” he added.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has issued a public warning regarding the circulation of counterfeit Cowbell 12g sachets across Nigeria.

The alert followed reports from Promasidor Nigeria Limited, the manufacturer of the genuine product, which confirmed that the fake sachets were neither produced nor distributed by them.

It noted that the packaging design used in the counterfeit product was last employed by the company in September 2023 .

Authorities have flagged several key differences between the authentic and counterfeit sachets:

It noted that genuine Cowbell Our Milk sachets contain creamy milk, while the counterfeit versions contain a substance that does not appear to be milk.

The genuine product also features revised PNG artwork labeled Our Creamy Goodness. In contrast, the counterfeit uses outdated PNG artwork simply titled Our Milk.

NAFDAC also noted that authentic packaging includes batch details printed with laser technology and placed in designated coding areas, whereas the counterfeit features ink printing and encodes information in incorrect locations on the sachet.

It further added that genuine products are sealed and cut on the vertical sides using automated machinery. Counterfeit sachets, however, exhibit manual sealing and cutting .

NAFDAC used the medium to issue.a stern risk warning, noting that the consumption of counterfeit milk can pose serious health and safety threats. These may include exposure to toxic substances, unapproved additives, or diluted ingredients that fail to meet food safety standards. Potential outcomes range from foodborne illness and allergic reactions to organ damage or even death, particularly among vulnerable groups such as infants, pregnant women, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals .

NAFDAC said it has directed all zonal directors and state coordinators to conduct surveillance operations and remove the fake products from circulation within their respective jurisdictions .

The agency has also urged importers, distributors, retailers, healthcare professionals, and consumers to exercise heightened vigilance across the supply chain.

Buyers should ensure products are obtained only from authorized or licensed manufacturers and suppliers. Product authenticity and physical condition must be carefully checked before use, it warned.

“To report suspected counterfeit or substandard food products, individuals are encouraged to contact their nearest NAFDAC office, call the dedicated hotline at 0800-162-3322, or email sf.alert@nafdac.gov.ng. Healthcare professionals and consumers may also report adverse effects through the agency’s e-reporting platforms on the NAFDAC website or via pharmacovigilance@nafdac.gov.ng,” it added.

By Aduragbemi Omiyale

In line with its strategy to diversify into high-growth food and beverage categories, Champion Breweries Plc is having talks with Sun Mark International Limited for the acquisition of Bullet, a leading ready-to-drink (RTD) alcoholic and energy brand in the market.

The deal is subject to the receipt of the necessary regulatory approvals, including from the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC).

On the completion of the transaction, Champion Breweries will consolidate the financial performance of Bullet’s assets into its reporting, reflecting both immediate benefits (e.g. FX earnings, distributor leverage) and long-term cost synergies through integrated supply chain, portfolio expansion, operational integration, product development and enhanced market presence.

The beer maker explained in a statement on Wednesday that the acquisition is structured as an asset carve-out, with the assets to be held in a newly incorporated company in the Netherlands.

Post-acquisition, Champion Breweries Plc will hold a majority interest in the new business, while Vinar N.V, a Belgian entity and the majority shareholders of Sun Mark, will hold a minority stake.

Bullet is currently present in over 14 African markets, including Nigeria, Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, DRC, and Tanzania.

The Bullet Black RTD is currently the leading RTD Brand in Nigeria while the Bullet Blue energy drink ranks amongst the top six brands.