Nigerian Tobacco Company Zaria Factory Shifts from Cigarette Production to Fertiliser Manufacturing

The Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) Zaria factory, which began operations in 1959, has transformed from a cigarette manufacturing site to a fertiliser production facility. Recent visits to the premises revealed active fertiliser business operations, with trailers loaded with sacks of fertiliser leaving the site. The factory, once a major player in Nigeria's manufacturing sector, had produced about 700 million cigarettes monthly in 1970.

The Zaria factory was part of a manufacturing enterprise that employed workers, supported tobacco farmers, and contributed to Nigeria's cigarette industry development. At its peak, the factory employed around 2,100 people and 1,000 casual and seasonal workers. The site was connected to a wider supply chain involving tobacco farmers, distributors, and retailers, with NTC providing farmers with inputs and technical assistance.

The factory's production capacity was significant, with machines initially producing 3,000 cigarette sticks per minute and later 6,000 sticks per minute. The machinery formed the centre of a process that transformed tobacco into finished cigarettes for distribution. However, the industrial prominence of the establishment did not last indefinitely, with changes in ownership, investment, and manufacturing operations reshaping the company's activities.

The decline of cigarette manufacturing in Zaria was influenced by changes in the tobacco industry, corporate restructuring, and investment in newer production facilities. The influx of illicit cigarettes and deteriorating infrastructure contributed to the closure of the company's factories in Port Harcourt and Ibadan, while operations in Zaria were scaled down. The Port Harcourt factory closed in 1983, and the Ibadan facility followed in December 1995.

According to Abdurazzak Suleiman, a former employee, the decline of cigarette production in Zaria was primarily a business decision rather than a direct consequence of government policy. He attributed the company's subsequent direction to decisions by its owners and the development of a more modern manufacturing facility in Ibadan.

Attempts to gain clarification from British American Tobacco Nigeria on the circumstances surrounding the end of cigarette production at the Zaria factory were unsuccessful. The company did not respond to a text message, phone calls, or an enquiry submitted through their website contact form.

The current state of the Zaria factory and its fertiliser manufacturing operation raises questions about the fate of its machinery and workers. The transformation of the site highlights the changing landscape of Nigeria's manufacturing sector and the need for industrial diversification.

Key points

• The Nigerian Tobacco Company Zaria factory has shifted from cigarette production to fertiliser manufacturing.
• The factory's decline was influenced by changes in the tobacco industry and corporate restructuring.
• The current operation at the site is a fertiliser manufacturing facility.