KEY POINTS
- Adebola Adegunwa promotes sustainability at Rite Foods.
- The company picked up 40 tons of plastic trash from Lagos.
- The cleanup drive further makes the brand stronger against competitors throughout the world.
Nigerian billionaire Adebola Adegunwa, the force behind Rite Foods Limited, is turning sustainability into a competitive edge as he challenges Coca-Cola and Pepsi in Africa’s biggest soft drink market.
In July, the family-owned company said it collected 40 tons of plastic waste from Lagos under a campaign called “RiteOnTheBeach.” The project, carried out with eco-resort Pop Beach Club and backed by the Lagos State Sustainable Development Goals office, sought to raise recycling awareness and further reduce pollution in the megacity.
Adebola Adegunwa pushes sustainability with Rite Foods
The drive distributed 30,000 recovery bags across the city, encouraging residents to return plastic for recycling. Rite Foods staff joined the cleanup, sorting bottles and cutting carbon emissions.
“This result reinforces our belief that collective and also consistent actions yield lasting impact,” said Seleem Adegunwa, the company’s managing director. “RiteOnTheBeach is a lifestyle change that supports Lagos State’s vision for a sustainable, clean, and healthy environment.”
Adegunwa senior, who also chairs the group, built the business into one of Nigeria’s top consumer brands, producing Bigi soft drinks, Fearless Energy, and Rite sausages.
Philanthropy strengthens Adegunwa’s wider legacy
The sustainability push adds to Adegunwa’s philanthropic footprint. Earlier this year, he donated $1 million to fund a trauma center at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Ogun State, aimed at treating crash victims and emergency patients. His family foundation has also funded schools and cultural projects across Nigeria.
Adebola Adegunwa pushes sustainability with recycling drive
Rite Foods’ Corporate Affairs chief Ekuma Eze said the company now sees waste recovery as part of its business cycle. “Plastic is not the problem; improper disposal is,” he also said, noting that recovered plastics can be recycled into valuable new products.
Through its partnership with Pop Beach Club, thousands of tons of plastics have already been cleared from Lagos’ shorelines, with proceeds supporting back-to-school programs for underserved children.
According to Billionaires Africa, Adegunwa’s challenge now lies in sustaining growth against multinational rivals while carving out a legacy of environmental responsibility and social impact.
