International Breweries Plc (IBPLC), a proud member of AB InBev, the world’s largest brewer with over 500 beer brands, has successfully completed its one-year Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) programme in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. This pioneering initiative, focused on encouraging responsible drinking and discouraging harmful alcohol consumption, has left a positive impact on communities and participants.
The RBS initiative, spearheaded by International Breweries, was conceptualized by the AB InBev Foundation, the programme’s sponsor. It provided targeted training to bar owners and managers through comprehensive sessions and revitalized local communities through initiatives like clean-up exercises. The intervention program aimed to address alcohol-related issues such as drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, and alcohol consumption by pregnant women.
The efforts were aimed at promoting positive drinking habits and mitigating the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption.
During the program, the team engaged in various outreach activities, including health awareness sessions for pregnant women and women of reproductive age at the Model Primary Health Centre in Orogbum. Executive training sessions were also conducted for members of the Association of Hotel Owners and Managers at the Mimi Fish and Lounge, Old Aba Road, Rumuomasi. The initiative also extended its efforts to Ambassador Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Rumuolumene, among other institutions.
In Rivers State, the initiative equipped 302 proprietors and administrators of alcohol service establishments with the necessary tools and knowledge to implement responsible beverage service effectively. Additionally, 387 servers, bar attendants, and security personnel were trained on RBS practices, leading to enhanced service delivery in the hospitality sector. The RBS project directly impacted a total of 9,667 individuals and an estimated 101,663, around 5% of the target Local Government Areas population.
R-L: Manager, New Nigeria Foundation (NNF), Port Harcourt, Christiana Okuru, conducting the registration process for participants during the Responsible Beverage Services sensitization at the Immunization Unit, Demonstration Health Center, College of Health, Rumueme, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Mrs Edna Tekena, a bar manager who participated in the training, expressed her appreciation to IBPLC for enlightening her on the risks of excessive alcohol consumption. She stated, “I appreciate International Breweries Plc for the Responsible Beverage Service training. After the training, I stopped serving alcohol to pregnant women and started educating them on the dangers of consuming alcohol during pregnancy. I encourage them to abstain for the well-being of their babies.”
One of the pregnant women influenced by the AB InBev-sponsored RBS campaign, Mrs Gladys Onoh, shared, “When I was pregnant, my doctor advised me to avoid alcohol for the baby’s sake. When the International Breweries Responsible Beverage Service program came to my area in Port Harcourt with the same message, it reinforced the importance of heeding this advice. Today, looking at my healthy baby, I am grateful I listened. I appreciate AB InBev Foundation and International Breweries for this initiative.”
James Ogunro, a hotel owner, mentioned that he learned effective business management as an entrepreneur through the training sessions. He said, “Thanks to the training I attended as part of the responsible beverage service program by the AB InBev Foundation, I now have a better connection with our customers. I am equipped to manage and educate them on the benefits of consuming alcohol responsibly.”
Corporate Affairs Manager, Corporate Affairs and Regulatory Department, International Breweries Plc, Damian Igwe emphasized the importance of the Responsible Beverage Service program. He stated, “At International Breweries, we believe in promoting responsible consumption, and our commitment extends beyond product excellence and profits. It is also about ensuring our products are consumed responsibly because our success is tied to the well-being of our communities. We are pleased with the impact of this intervention, where we have trained 689 individuals in the two years of running the program in Lagos and Rivers states. Our training initiatives are backed by evaluation and monitoring systems to track progress made.”
L-R: Responsible Beverage Services Manager, New Nigeria Foundation (NNF), Rivers State, Stanley Nyeche, orientating Bar Managers, at the AB InBev Foundation & International Breweries Plc sponsored Responsible Beverage Service Program held in Port Harcourt. Rivers State.
In 2015, AB InBev launched the Global Smart Drinking Goals with the aim of reducing harmful alcohol use by at least 10% in six cities by the end of 2020, a target that was successfully achieved.
L-R: Assistant Program Officer, New Nigeria Foundation (NNF), Chinwendu Obinna Osuji, presenting packs of International Breweries Beta Malt drinks to the President, Rumuoghu Community Women Group, Mrs Gladys Ovunwo, and the Secretary Mrs Edna Wogu, at the Responsible Beverage Services engagement held at a Town Hall, in Rumuoghu, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In Nigeria, following the initial success in Lagos, over 10,000 individuals across five local governments benefited from the RBS initiative in 2022 – Ibeju Lekki LGA, Amuwo-Odofin LGA, Surulere LGA, Eti-Osa LGA, and Kosofe LGA. Port-Harcourt was included in the second phase rollout, which has now been completed.
Through collaborations with stakeholders such as the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and the Beer Sectorial Group (BSG), International Breweries Plc has conducted roadshows, outreaches, and sensitization initiatives that have reached over 15 million people nationwide, educating them on responsible alcohol consumption.
L-R: Secretary, Rumuogholu Community Women Group, Mrs Edna Wogu; Manager, Responsible Beverage Service (RBS), Rivers State, Stanley Nyeche; President, Rumuoghu Community Women Group, Mrs Gladys Ovunwo; Assistant Program Officer, RBS, Christiana Okuru, and Vice President, Rumuoghu Community Women Group, Mrs OluchiNyebuchi, at the AB InBev Foundation & International Breweries Responsible Beverage Service Programme targeted at Women Groups in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
By the end of 2025, IBPLC aims to expand this global best practice by further positively impacting communities and promoting responsible drinking culture in Rivers State.
With the support of the ABInBev Foundation, International Breweries, through its smart drinking initiatives, is contributing to the goals of the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG), International Alliance for Responsible Drinking (IARD), and the Worldwide Brewing Alliance (WBA) in advocating responsible consumption.