General News
Expert Okays GSK’s Sale of Ribena, Lucozade to Suntory
GlaxoSmithKline’s sale of Ribena and Lucozade to Japan’s Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd completes a transition for GlaxoSmithKline that started in the second half of the 20th century.
Christian Stadler, Warwick Business School associate professor of Strategic Management, Christian Stadler, analysis of the deal made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek said that “I don’t think it is a sign that Ribena and Lucozade have been doing badly, rather that they are really consumer goods, which are more suited to a pure consumer company that operates in that market, like Suntory”
Stadler has researched GlaxoSmithKline for his book “Enduring Success”, which looks at how long-living corporations have survived for so long.
Stadler said: “This is a question of how do you structure your portfolio, and I think this is a good idea for GlaxoSmithKline. A company is constantly assessing its portfolio and research shows that diversification into related products is best for profit. The big question for any company, though, is what are related products? And GlaxoSmithKline have decided that their core business should be in prescription drugs and consumer healthcare brands such as Panadol and Aquafresh rather than consumer goods.
“Looking at GlaxoSmithKline’s long history, since New Zealander Joseph Edward Nathan founded what was to become Glaxo Laboratories in 1861, it started out producing milk powder while Ribena was launched in the 1930s, and Lucozade in the 1920s, but the sale of them today completes a transition for GlaxoSmithKline that started in the second half of the 20th century”
According to the Professor, iIt has moved further and further into the prescription drug market and that is now its core business, with healthcare products added alongside them.
“I don’t think it is a sign that Ribena and Lucozade have been doing badly, rather that they are really consumer goods, which are more suited to a pure consumer company that operates in that market, like Suntory. By having a wider diversity you increase the complexity to manage the company, so by focusing more on prescription drugs and healthcare products it will make it easier to run the company” he added
Japan’s Suntory Beverage & Food Ltd was reported to have bought GlaxoSmithKline’s Lucozade and Ribena brands for 1.35 billion pounds to help the Japanese company expand into new markets.
The acquisition, announced by the companies on Monday, had been widely anticipated since people close to the process said last week that Suntory was in advanced talks on a deal that would preempt an auction of the iconic British drinks.
Japan’s second-largest drinks maker has plenty of cash after an initial public offering in June that raised four billion dollars.
It was always seen as the most likely buyer for the brands after GSK announced plans in April for their disposal.
Lucozade and Ribena are well-loved in Britain, but lack global reach, especially in the big emerging markets that are becoming the focus of the British drug maker’s consumer health business.
For Suntory, however, they offer a growth opportunity to counter sluggish demand at home. Suntory bought the Orangina Schweppes drinks brand for more than three billion dollars in 2009, giving it a significant presence in France and Spain.
By acquiring a new business with a focus on Britain, Suntory said it expected to further grow sales. The purchase also allows the Japanese group to extend its reach into countries where GSK already operates, such as Nigeria and Malaysia.
Despite being on the market for around 80 years, Lucozade and Ribena have combined annual sales of just over 500 million pounds a year.
That puts the transaction on a multiple of 2.7 times revenue – at the high end of recent soft drinks deals.
Suntory, which is better known for its beer and Yamazaki whisky, said the deal would have a limited effect on 2013 results and it was “currently examining the effect it will have on the performance outlook for the following business year and onward”.
The sale is expected to be completed by the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals. For GSK, it will yield net proceeds of around 1.3 billion pounds – after tax, fees and costs – that will be used to reduce debt and for general corporate purposes.
The net gain will be excluded from 2013 core operating profit and earnings per share.
A GSK spokesman said Suntory’s bid was also attractive because it would protect jobs in Britain. Some 700 employees will transfer to the Japanese group, including around 500 workers at GSK’s Coleford factory in the west of England.
The GSK spokesman said there was expected to be very little, if any, impact on jobs as a result of the sale.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has unveiled a forward-looking strategy that places satellite-enabled mobile connectivity at the heart of the country’s drive to bridge its long-standing coverage gaps.
The draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector for 2025 to 2030 lays out how satellite technologies could help deliver reliable voice and data services to millions of Nigerians who live beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The direction is outlined in the Commission’s draft Spectrum Roadmap for the Communications Sector covering the period.
The proposed approach highlights non-terrestrial networks as a complement to existing mobile infrastructure, especially in areas where terrain, insecurity, or high costs limit the deployment of base stations.
The NCC said D2D satellite technology, which allows standard mobile phones to connect directly to satellites, is gaining traction globally as a means of delivering voice and data services without reliance on ground towers.
According to the regulator, the technology could help close persistent coverage gaps in rural, riverine, and border communities that remain outside the reach of conventional networks.
It also noted that satellite-backed connectivity could improve network reliability by providing alternative links during fibre cuts, power failures, or other disruptions affecting terrestrial systems.
The Commission added that wider adoption of D2D services could support emergency communications, public safety operations, Internet of Things applications, and services such as smart agriculture in underserved regions.
It also pointed to potential investment opportunities through partnerships between mobile network operators and satellite companies, including more efficient use of shared spectrum resources.
Beyond D2D services, the roadmap places emphasis on Low-Earth Orbit satellites to expand broadband access to remote parts of the country.
It also proposes better utilisation of Geostationary Orbit satellites and the exploration of high-altitude platforms, such as stratospheric balloons, to support mobile backhaul and rural connectivity.
The policy signals come shortly after Airtel Africa announced an agreement with SpaceX to introduce Starlink-powered direct-to-cell services in Nigeria.
The NCC’s roadmap is expected to shape future spectrum allocation, licensing decisions, and technology adoption across the telecommunications sector.
General News
House of Reps Releases Certified Copies of Tax Reform Acts amid Gazette Discrepancy Claims
House of Representatives has released certified true copies of the four tax reform Acts signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, addressing public concerns over alleged discrepancies between legislative versions and circulated gazetted documents.
Tax Reform Acts
House spokesperson, Akin Rotimi, disclosed this in a statement, noting that Speaker Tajudeen Abbas directed the immediate publication of the Acts—including endorsement and presidential assent pages—for public verification, in collaboration with Senate President Godswill Akpabio.
The move followed allegations raised by Rep. Abdulsamad Dasuki on the House floor, highlighting inconsistencies between Bills passed by the National Assembly and executive gazetted versions, which he warned could erode legislative integrity and public trust.
Abbas constituted a seven-member ad hoc committee chaired by Rep. Aliyu Betara, with members including Idris Wase, Sada Soli, Adedeji Faleke, Igariwey Iduma, Fred Agbedi and Babajimi Benson, to investigate the alleged alterations, unauthorised circulation and preventive measures.
The committee’s mandate includes probing circumstances around the discrepancies, while Abbas ordered internal verification and public release of certified copies to dispel doubts and safeguard legislative records. Legal experts, tax professionals and civil society had demanded clarification and implementation suspension amid heated debates triggered by Dasuki’s intervention.
The released laws comprise the Nigeria Tax Act, 2025; Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025; National Revenue Service Establishment Act, 2025; and Joint Revenue Board Establishment Act, 2025, described as foundational to modernising Nigeria’s tax system.
These reforms aim to enhance compliance, curb inefficiencies, eliminate overlaps and bolster fiscal coordination across federal, state and local tiers, following extensive stakeholder consultations, committee reviews and plenary debates under Abbas’s leadership.
Rotimi reassured Nigerians: “The National Assembly is an institution built on records, procedure, and institutional memory. Every Bill, every amendment, and every Act follows a traceable constitutional and parliamentary pathway.”
He emphasised that only National Assembly-certified versions hold authority, urging the public, institutions and stakeholders to disregard all other circulating documents as unofficial.
MultiChoice, a CANAL+ company, has retained the distribution rights to 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels following the signing of a new multi-year, multi-territory agreement between CANAL+ Group and Warner Bros. Discovery, marking a significant expansion of their long-standing partnership.
MultiChoice
The new deal, which spans several regions across Africa and Europe, covers the distribution of HBO Max as well as the renewal of selected Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels. It represents a major milestone in the companies’ international collaboration and strengthens content offerings across MultiChoice Group territories.
MultiChoice disclosed that this agreement builds on earlier partnerships concluded in Europe. “It builds on the landmark agreements concluded in France in 2024,including the renewal of the exclusive pay-TV window for Warner Bros. Pictures films just six months after their theatrical release in France and the integration of HBO Max within select CANAL+ group offers – as well as in Poland in 2025, with the renewal of the distribution agreement for 22 thematic channels (including TVN 24 and Eurosport) and 4 free-to-air channels (including TVN).”
Under the renewed arrangement, MultiChoice Group will continue to distribute 12 Warner Bros. Discovery thematic channels across its territories, with some channels offered on an exclusive basis. CNN International and Cartoon Network will remain exclusive to South Africa while being distributed non-exclusively in other markets. Cartoon Network Porto will be exclusive in Angola and Mozambique and non-exclusive elsewhere. Other channels such as Discovery Channel, TLC, HGTV, Food Network, TNT Africa, Travel, ID and Cartoonito will be offered on a non-exclusive basis.
According to the partners, the deal reinforces CANAL+ Group’s channel portfolio on the continent. “This agreement enables CANAL+ Group to strengthen its entertainment, kids, news, and documentary channel offerings in African markets.”
The agreement is also expected to improve access for CANAL+ Group subscribers to Warner Bros. Discovery’s premium content through HBO Max and selected channels, including globally recognised series and films, further extending the studio’s international reach while consolidating MultiChoice’s content offering in key markets.
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