‘When CSR is rooted in respect, designed for enterprise, it becomes a covenant’

Corporate Social Responsibility

It is believed that when the right corporate social responsibility (CSR) is done by companies, host communities will see it as a reflection of a true spirit of partnership and goodwill; Osa Victor Obayabona writes that CSR delivers lasting value when it focuses on empowerment rather than appeasement, on building productive assets rather than distributing consumables.

When Awo-Omamma woke up to drumming and masquerades on the day Nigerian Breweries Plc commissioned a cassava processing plant in the community, it felt less like a corporate handover and more like a homecoming. Beneath the vivid costumes and rhythmic choreography lay a deeper story: a rural community reclaiming its confidence through a partnership it hopes will reshape its future.

For decades, Awo-Omamma, a predominantly agrarian settlement along the Owerri–Onitsha Motorway in Imo State, has supplied markets across the region with cassava, yam, oil palm and vegetables. But productive as the land is, the people have borne the drudgery and inefficiency common to subsistence agriculture. Processing cassava into garri, one of Nigeria’s most consumed staples, has meant manual peeling, grating, pressing and frying, often with firewood, at great physical and environmental cost. Women, who form the production backbone, have carried the greatest burden. Young people, seeing little payoff in farm life, have drifted to cities.

Now, a plant equipped with a cooler, fryer, dry sieve, grater and a hydraulic press hums at the heart of the town. According to factory workers, it can produce as much as 100 kg of garri per hour. That figure may sound technical, but to farmers like Juliana Chukwuemeka, it translates into relief and possibility. “Before, we went to fetch firewood and struggle with processing,” she said. “Now, all we need is to bring the cassava here, and it is done.” In a single sentence, she captured the essence of development: time saved, labour eased and dignity restored.

The gift arrives at a pivotal moment. Nigerian Breweries (NB), formerly Eastern Breweries Limited, has been woven into Awo-Omamma’s history since the plant’s establishment in 1982. Known locally as the “33” Brewery, the facility anchored livelihoods across supply chains, from haulage to retail. But the brewery’s temporary suspension of operations hit the community like a dry season storm. Incomes shrank, small businesses faltered, and migration accelerated. In response, Nigerian Breweries conducted a needs assessment with community stakeholders. The verdict was clear: Awo-Omamma needed a revenue-generating enterprise that could stand on its own feet.

What followed was not a token gesture but a project designed for scale and sustainability, a two-tonne-per-day cassava processing facility. The company estimates it could generate about N500 million yearly and help position Awo-Omamma as a cassava processing hub. Just as important, the proceeds will be fully managed by the community. Uzo Odenigbo, corporate affairs director, NB, put it plainly: “We do not expect anything from them; it totally belongs to them… we expect them to put it to maximum use.”

At the commissioning, Thibaut Boidin, managing director of NB Plc, framed the project as an extension of a broader purpose. “Our purpose extends beyond brewing beverages; we are equally committed to brewing prosperity, hope, and empowerment,” he said. He cited years of investments in education, healthcare, water access, security and skills training, including classroom blocks, libraries, and entrepreneurship support for 250 young people. These gestures matter, but the cassava plant is different: it embeds enterprise where charity once stood.

Conversations about corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Nigeria often fluctuate between praise and scepticism. Communities have learned the hard way that ribbons can be cut without roots being planted. The Awo-Omamma model offers a test of what strategic CSR should look like: it is needs-based, income-generating, and community-led and tied to local strengths. Global best practice supports this approach. Studies by the World Bank and UN Development Programme consistently show that CSR delivers lasting value when it focuses on empowerment rather than appeasement, on building productive assets rather than distributing consumables. In Nigeria, where over 70 percent of agricultural output comes from smallholders, processing is the missing link between toil and prosperity. Add value locally, and you keep wealth in the village.

That logic underpins Imo State’s agricultural development push, which this plant is expected to reinforce. Cassava is Nigeria’s white gold (Nigeria is the world’s largest producer) but farmers often sell raw tubers at low margins. Processing flips the equation: garri, flour and starch attract better prices, open regional markets and invite complementary businesses. Packaging, logistics, retail and equipment maintenance follow. Each new activity creates jobs and skills, especially for youth.

For traditional ruler, Eze Valentine Amanfo, the plant symbolises more than equipment. “This is not just material support; it is genuine concern for our welfare,” he said. He recounted a trail of investments – potable water, electricity transformers, school blocks and textbooks – and pledged continued cooperation. His appeal for the brewery’s return to full operations in 2026 echoed a community’s faith that partnership, once proven, can be renewed.

The social dividends are already visible. Farmers Onuwa Chioma, Felicia Amigo and Nkiruka Maduagwu see the plant as a magnet for homecoming. “We have many youths doing nothing or who have travelled. This will bring them back,” they said. Return migration is development’s quiet victory. When young people see opportunity where they were born, the cycle of neglect breaks.

Beyond the gates of Awo-Omamma, the plant carries lessons for corporate Nigeria. CSR is not a photograph; it is a process. It begins with listening and ends with ownership. The decision to hand management and revenue to the community is brave and right. It also imposes responsibility. Governance structures must be transparent; accounts must be audited; maintenance must be scheduled; and conflicts must be resolved fairly. A plant that is not serviced is a promise unkept. Here, the company, community and government must walk together for the first few seasons, ensuring technical support and business mentoring are available.

There is also an environmental story to tell. Mechanised grating and energy-efficient frying can reduce reliance on firewood, curbing deforestation and indoor air pollution. With proper waste management, cassava peels can become animal feed or bioenergy inputs, closing the loop on sustainability.

At a time when many host communities view corporations through the lens of grievance, Awo-Omamma offers a counter-narrative: goodwill earned through relevance. One does not need a megaphone to announce a partnership; one needs a factory that runs, accounts that balance and youths who work.

As the masquerades filed away and the machines settled into their first rhythm, the message lingered in the warm air: when CSR is rooted in respect and designed for enterprise, it becomes a covenant. NB has placed a seed in Awo-Omamma’s soil. If tended with integrity, it will not merely grow garri, it will grow a future.

And perhaps that is the truest measure of partnership: not what a company takes from a place, but what remains when the gates are quiet.

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