Bayer establishes subsidiary Bayer Middle Africa in Nigeria

Bayer now has a stronger presence in Africa with the inauguration of its subsidiary Bayer Middle Africa Limited in Lagos to serve its customers in Nigeria.

The aim of this subsidiary is to support and develop the business of the three sub-groups of Bayer in the country: Bayer HealthCare (Pharmaceuticals, Consumer Care, Medical Care, Animal Health); Bayer CropScience (Crop Protection, Seeds, Environment Science), and Bayer MaterialScience (Polyurethanes, Polycarbonates and Coatings).

To enable it serve its customers in Nigeria better, the company had opened an office in Lagos.
Bayer Middle Africa Limited currently has more than 20 employees and is planning to grow to over 30 employees by the end of 2015.

Speaking at the inauguration, which was held in Lagos and attended by captains of industry, Michael König, a member of the board of management of Bayer AG, says the company, which celebrated its 150th anniversary two years ago, has a long history in Africa, a legacy that goes back as far as 1896 when Bayer first started trading on the continent.

According to him, Bayer is now located in 13 different African countries and as an important part of the Group’s strategy, it was decided that the company should have a more direct presence in the priority markets on the continent. He says that in 2014, under the region of West-Central Africa, the company established two new legal entities in Lagos, Nigeria and in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. A similar legal entity was set up in the East African country of Tanzania and a representative office in Ethiopia.

“Together with the companies in Morocco, Kenya and South Africa as hubs for the Bayer country groups in North, East and Southern Africa, we now have the infrastructure in place to make this increased footprint a reality,” he says.

On job creation and human capital development, König says the Group has over 1000 employees across the African continent.

In her address, Olusola Oworu, Lagos State commissioner for commerce and industry, who was represented by the director of finance, Olaseni Ajala, commends Bayer for taking the initiative to establish its newly improved subsidiary, which she says would be a real blessing to the nation and the economic fortune of the state.
According to Oworu, with Bayer’s enviable track record in its parent country, Lagos State can only expect great yields of improved healthcare and qualitative living standards, gainful employment for its experienced and expert labour force, value addition to its local micro, small and medium enterprises and cottage industries as well as increased revenue and enhanced GDP.

As a responsible and proactive government that appreciates the benefits of a symbiotic partnership with organisations, Oworu further says that the state government has consistently and pragmatically provided an enabling environment with support infrastructure to enhance the profitable conduct of businesses in the state.

“The opportunities your organisation stand to gain from making Lagos State its prime investment location are quite enormous and key among them is an enhanced business environment, which is being engendered as a result of continuous reforms and incentives aimed at facilitating trade, investment and accelerated industrial development in the state,” she says.