Alcohol industry corporate social responsibility activities in Nigeria: implications for policy

Abstract

Objective: The article synthesized the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of multinational alcohol companies (MACs) in Nigeria, highlighting their policy implications. Methods: We searched alcohol companies’ websites for CSR activities that they have executed/executing and also included media reportage of such activities. Results: Alcohol companies’ CSR initiatives cover education, health, agriculture, Covid-19, employment, and responsible drinking campaigns (RDCs). Most of the CSR projects are linked to legitimate international/local initiatives (e.g., positioned to support SDGs or government/community projects). The health-related CSR initiatives focus on government-owned University Teaching Hospitals, while others support community-owned and faith-based hospitals. The Agro-based CSR projects appear to be self-serving because they mainly support farmers who produce the raw materials for the industry’s use. The RDCs mainly target commercial vehicle drivers to create awareness about the consequences of drink-driving, but they neither mention nor encourage abstinence. The drink-driving campaigns are avenues MACs exploit to market their brands through branded T-Shirts, banners, and other paraphernalia. Alcohol producers conduct the available evaluations of the CSR initiatives, portraying only public-serving motivations while concealing the company-serving purposes. Conclusion: There is a need to investigate the public perceptions of industry-led CSR initiatives independently to evaluate their actual impact and inform policy implementation.