BORDER CLOSURE: Ghana’s Alomo Bitters maker counts losses

Ghana’s largest beverage manufacturer and maker of widely consumed Alomo Bitters in Nigeria is feeling the effects of the recent border closure by Nigeria.

 

Kasapreko Company Limited, a pioneer of alcoholic bitters in the Nigerian market said it has lost US$2m in sales following the closure of the Seme border by the Nigerian government.

 

Francis Holly Adzah, Kasapreko’s Head of International Business Development, said that the company has lost $2m in revenue following the border closure with neigbouring West African countries.

 

She said that the beverage company was able to transport three trucks before the border closure, but now, the company has exhausted its products in the Nigerian market.

 

“[We] managed to send in three trucks of products to the Nigerian market moments before the border was closed,” Adzah said.

 

Four other trucks with products destined for Nigeria, one at the border and the others at the company’s facilities in Ghana, have been left grounded due to the border closure by Nigeria, according to report.

 

“In September, we lost $1 million to the closure. October is almost ended and our checks show a loss of another million dollars. The situation is getting out of hand and very serious,” Adzah told JoyBusiness, a Ghanaian publication in an exclusive interview.

 

Kasapreko said it has been forced to look for business in other African markets like Ivory Coast, Senegal, Togo, Benin as well as European markets as sales to Nigeria dry up.

 

Nigeria said it resorted to closing its Western border to curb the smuggling of goods into the country, particularly rice and other imported illegal products.