International Breweries Plc. Onitsha

How Hero Lager Became an Inspirational Symbol in Nigeria | Eater

"Opened in August 2012 after an initial $100 million investment by a major brewer, the riverside plant launched Hero Lager with a rising-sun label that many locals read as a tribute to Biafra and a recently buried regional leader; that timing and symbolism prompted the affectionate nickname "Oh Mpa" and helped the beer become a potent marker of Igbo identity. Priced below dominant national brands, the lager quickly captured local loyalty and demand surged, prompting a further $110 million expansion that raised capacity from 700,000 to 2.1 million hectoliters in 2014. Ongoing, culture-focused marketing — including a red-cap crown cork evoking traditional chiefs, the Echefula (“Never Forget Your Identity”) campaign with prominent billboards, and a culture-themed reality TV show — plus formal recognition by local traditional authorities, have reinforced the product’s role as both a social staple in southeast pubs and a symbol of regional pride even as corporate consolidation folded the operation into a larger national brewing group." - Linus Unah