The Nigerian Tobacco Company (NTC) was established in 1951 as a partnership between British American Tobacco (BAT) and the Nigerian government, acquiring BAT’s existing assets in Nigeria. The company quickly became a dominant force in the Nigerian cigarette market, boasting a 90% market share by 1966 and employing approximately 2,700 Nigerians. NTC’s product line included popular brands such as Benson and Hedges, State Express, Three Rings, Gold Leaf, and Sweet Menthol.
To meet the growing demand for cigarettes, NTC expanded its operations by establishing factories in strategic locations across Nigeria. The first major factory was set up in Ibadan in 1937, followed by another in Port Harcourt in 1956, and a third in Zaria in 1959. These facilities enabled NTC to produce an estimated 700 million cigarettes per month by 1970.
However, the company faced significant challenges in the ensuing decades. The influx of illicit trade and deteriorating infrastructure led to an uncertain business environment, causing investment to wane. Consequently, NTC closed its factories in Port Harcourt and Ibadan and scaled down operations in Zaria. In 2000, NTC merged with BAT, leading to the establishment of British American Tobacco Nigeria. This merger marked the end of NTC as an independent entity.
Following the cessation of NTC’s operations, the federal government sold the NTC building in Ibadan to the Oyo State government. The state government subsequently leased the property to various companies and business owners, including Seplat, Lasmed Publications, Chivita, Pinnacle, and Honeywell. The building, now known as the Oyo State Small Scale Business Building, has become a hub for diverse enterprises, ranging from nylon manufacturing to motorcycle sales.
In a related development, British American Tobacco established a state-of-the-art factory in Ibadan, which was commissioned in 2003. This facility underscored the company’s commitment to maintaining a significant presence in Nigeria’s tobacco industry.
The transformation of the NTC building from a tobacco manufacturing facility to a center for small-scale businesses reflects the broader economic shifts in Nigeria and the adaptive strategies employed by both the government and private sector to repurpose industrial assets.
