Sidel Strengthens West African Footprint with New Office in Lagos, Nigeria

Global packaging solutions provider Sidel has expanded its presence in West Africa with the opening of a new office in Ikeja, Lagos, underscoring its commitment to serving the region’s fast-evolving beverage and packaging markets.

The new Lagos base will operate as a regional hub for project management, engineering, after-sales support and customer engagement. It will enable Sidel to offer closer, faster and more tailored service to beverage producers across Nigeria, Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire and neighboring markets.

“West Africa is one of the most dynamic consumer markets in Africa,” said Clive Smith, Executive Vice President of Customer Management for the Asia, Oceania and Africa (AOA) region. “Having a strong local organisation in Lagos allows us to deepen our understanding of customer needs, respond more quickly and deliver truly bespoke packaging solutions.”

This latest expansion marks Sidel’s third office on the African continent, joining its existing locations in South Africa and Nairobi, Kenya. The move reinforces the company’s long-term strategy of building local partnerships, nurturing regional talent and promoting sustainable industrial development.

Pietro Cassani, Sidel’s President and CEO, commented: “Our growth in Africa reflects Sidel’s belief that sustainable industrial progress comes through local collaboration, capability building and continuous innovation across all packaging materials.”

Nigeria’s Expanding Beverage Market

Home to over 230 million consumers, Nigeria represents Africa’s largest consumer market. The food and drink sector was valued at approximately $54.1 billion in 2024, with forecasts pointing to a 6% compound annual growth rate through 2033.

Shifting consumer preferences toward healthier beverage choices and eco-friendly packaging are driving demand for innovations such as lightweight PET bottles and recyclable glass and aluminium formats—key focus areas for Sidel’s technology portfolio.

Proven Experience Across Africa

Sidel has delivered several landmark projects across the continent. In Nigeria, the company collaborated with StrongPack to install one of Africa’s fastest PET water bottling lines, complemented by additional lines featuring Actis coating technology for lightweight bottles with extended shelf life.

In Ghana, Twellium Industrial’s Kumasi facility was equipped with high-speed PET packaging lines from Sidel, while Coca-Cola SABCO’s South African operations saw the continent’s first Sidel Matrix system come online.

Building Local Capability

Beyond infrastructure, Sidel’s Lagos office will also focus on developing local engineering and technical expertise, supporting regional employment and enhancing long-term customer service capability across West Africa’s growing beverage industry.