Rite Foods Limited has unveiled its 2025 Sustainability Report, detailing progress in cutting carbon emissions, conserving water, improving energy efficiency and reducing waste, as the Nigerian food and beverage manufacturer sets an ambitious target of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
The company disclosed the figures on Friday, July 22, 2026, at a media briefing at its Ikeja office, where management outlined its environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance and presented its long-term sustainability strategy.
Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said sustainability had become central to the company’s business philosophy as Rite Foods seeks to reduce its environmental footprint while creating lasting value for its stakeholders.
“We must minimise our impact on the environment, communities and people, while ensuring ethical business practices so that every stakeholder benefits,” Eze said.
The 2025 report is the second sustainability report published by Rite Foods and measures the company’s performance across three core pillars: environmental stewardship, social impact and corporate governance.
Cutting Carbon, Water and Waste
The report shows that Rite Foods recorded total carbon emissions of 567.5 tonnes of carbon equivalent in 2024, before achieving a further 5 per cent reduction in 2025. Carbon intensity per litre of beverage produced also fell by 23 per cent year-on-year, reflecting gains in operational efficiency.
Water conservation delivered another notable improvement. Overall water consumption declined by 15 per cent between 2024 and 2025, with the company introducing daily monitoring of water-use ratios and recycling process water rather than discharging it immediately.
The measures, according to the company, have helped conserve water resources while also improving production efficiency and reducing operating costs.
Energy consumption per litre of production fell by 7 per cent, from 0.44 megajoules to 0.41 megajoules. Rite Foods attributed the improvement to greater use of solar power and natural gas, reduced reliance on Automotive Gas Oil, technology upgrades and more energy-conscious practices across its operations.
Waste generation also declined, with solid waste per litre of production falling 27 per cent, from 10.6 grammes to 7.71 grammes.
The company has complemented its waste-reduction efforts with initiatives aimed at strengthening the circular economy. Through its “Rite on the Beach” campaign, monthly coastal clean-up exercises recovered more than 42 tonnes of plastic waste in 2025.
Its “Plastic July” initiative also encouraged consumers to return used plastic materials through free collection packs.
In partnership with the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance, Rite Foods supported the recovery of a further 558.2 tonnes of plastic waste. The company also repurposed discarded product labels into school bags, which were distributed to more than 2,000 schoolchildren.
The sustainability drive forms part of Rite Foods’ longer-term climate strategy, under which the company has committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2060.
Investing in People and Communities
Beyond its environmental commitments, the report highlighted increased investment in employees and host communities.
Rite Foods said its social investment rose 50 per cent to ₦581.92 million in 2025, while employee training hours increased by 76 per cent.
Employment opportunities within host communities also expanded, with recruitment rising by 4.1 per cent. The company’s total workforce grew by 6.1 per cent during the year.
Rite Foods currently employs about 3,000 people directly and supports more than 12,000 indirect jobs across its value chain, underscoring the broader economic footprint of its operations.
Governance at the Core
On governance, Eze said integrity, accountability and transparency remained fundamental to the company’s operations and sustainability agenda.
The Board Audit and Risk Committee, he said, provides oversight of internal controls, regulatory compliance and enterprise risk management.
In a further effort to strengthen confidence in its sustainability disclosures, Rite Foods engaged Ernst & Young to provide limited independent assurance on the social component of its report, despite not being legally required to do so.
Oluyemi Lawal-Daki, Head of Legal Services, said sustainability was not merely a reporting exercise but a critical component of Rite Foods’ long-term growth strategy.
She said the company remained committed to building a resilient business that creates shared value for Nigeria while upholding transparency, accountability and responsible corporate citizenship.
With its latest sustainability report and 2060 net-zero ambition, Rite Foods is seeking to position itself among Nigeria’s manufacturers using ESG principles to drive long-term growth. Its approach combines environmental responsibility with investment in people and communities, while placing stronger emphasis on governance and accountability as the business expands.
