At a time when many multinational firms are downsizing or leaving Nigeria due to rising operational costs and the mass emigration of skilled workers, Cadbury Nigeria says it is holding its ground by investing in people and building an enduring work culture. According to the company’s Human Resources Director, Dr. Wole Odubayo, deliberate efforts in employee development, empowerment, and engagement have helped the 60-year-old confectionery giant retain its workforce and sustain productivity amid the nation’s economic challenges.
In this exclusive interview with Victor Ahiuma-Young, Dr. Odubayo explains how Cadbury’s people-centred approach, robust succession plan, and commitment to diversity and inclusion, have enabled it to navigate the pressures of the ‘japa’ wave and other HR realities in today’s tough business climate. He also speaks on the company’s values, leadership philosophy, and what has kept the brand thriving in Nigeria when others have folded up.
Why we still operate in Nigeria
We are happy to attain this milestone. As you rightly observed, it has been challenging but also exciting doing business in Nigeria, which offers discerning investors attractive returns on investment. We have been around for the past six decades and have had our own share of the vagaries of the operating environment.
As Charles Darwin once said, “It is not the strongest species that survive, nor the most intelligent, but the most responsive to change.” We have learnt to be responsive to change, adaptable, and flexible — and that has enabled us to face challenges squarely.
We are an innovative company, constantly thinking outside the box to tackle operational challenges and give our shareholders value. We believe in continuous improvement and encourage our people to grow every day. Our resilient workforce demonstrates a strong sense of ownership, which drives our business objectives.
During the COVID-19 period, for instance, when traditional markets were shut down, our commercial team quickly innovated and modified selling channels to reach consumers. We also adjusted our shift patterns, provided PPEs, and deployed Employee Assistance and wellbeing programmes that strengthened employee loyalty.
Importantly, our parent company, Mondelez International, has been supportive and believes in Nigeria’s potential and in the ability of Cadbury Nigeria Plc. to navigate challenges. All these factors have helped us to remain stable and profitable in a turbulent environment.
Investor’s confidence in Nigerian leadership
We look at key virtues when appointing people into leadership roles — integrity, transparency, competence, capacity, strategic planning, leadership connection with people, and a sound understanding of local market dynamics.
This confidence in local talent has been demonstrated over time. Our first indigenous Managing Director, Dr. Christopher Kolade, rose through the ranks from Human Resources Director and later became Chairman. His appointment reflected the confidence of our foreign investors in Nigerian leadership.
Today, we are equally proud to have Mrs. Oyeyimika Adeboye, our first female Managing Director in Cadbury Nigeria’s 60-year history. Our leadership team is predominantly Nigerian, which further demonstrates the owners’ strong belief in local capabilities and reinforces the fact that Nigerians — irrespective of gender — can successfully lead multinational companies when given the right opportunity and support.
What sets Cadbury apart
We are a value-driven company guided by our Code of Conduct and core values: We love our consumers and brands. We do what is right. We grow every day. These principles shape all our business decisions and interactions.
We uphold the highest ethical standards, have zero-tolerance for bribery, harassment, or discrimination, and are respected for this by our stakeholders. We are also performance-driven, with a robust performance management system ensuring every employee’s objectives align with the company’s goals.
Our strong learning and development culture provides employees access to continuous training and self-directed learning platforms. We empower our people to thrive in an inclusive, high-performance work environment where everyone feels a sense of belonging. From onboarding, every employee is introduced to the Cadbury DNA — our values, culture, and principles — which distinguish us from others.
Contribution to fight against unemployment
Over the past 60 years, we have employed hundreds of thousands of Nigerians and contributed immensely to the nation’s industrial and workforce development.
From our humble beginnings with Bournvita, we have expanded production to include more products manufactured locally — creating jobs and supporting economic growth. We train and develop our employees to acquire rounded skills and experiences that make them valuable assets to the economy.
Many of our former employees have become employers of labour or hold senior leadership roles elsewhere, using the knowledge gained here. We also offer robust internship and graduate trainee programmes to prepare young Nigerians for professional success. Despite automation reducing workforce size globally, we continue to maintain a significant number of employees whose potential we nurture for today and the future.
Employment policy, value proposition
We are an equal opportunity employer committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). We employ qualified individuals based on merit and provide a robust onboarding process to help them integrate quickly.
We deliberately pursue diverse hiring to ensure that, irrespective of gender or background, the best candidates are considered. Our interviewers are trained to identify talent without prejudice. Consequently, our female-to-male ratio continues to improve towards our internal targets.
Our West Africa Leadership Team comprises four females and three males, while our Board of Directors also reflects equal representation — making us one of the most gender-balanced listed companies in Nigeria.
Keeping workers informed
One of our mantras as a high-performing organisation is that “informed people make the right decisions.” We have a robust communication matrix that ensures top-down, bottom-up, and lateral information flow.
We regularly share updates on business developments, industry trends, and our strategies for navigating challenges — and we receive valuable feedback in return. Our People Team drives empowerment initiatives that equip employees with relevant skills to remain competitive both within and outside the workplace.
We also organise sessions with pension fund administrators and financial literacy experts to help staff plan for retirement and financial independence. Our senior managers and business leaders share their career journeys in internal forums, providing mentorship and practical learning for others.
Attraction, top talent
Cadbury Nigeria is a household name and a top employer that many young Nigerians aspire to work for. Our reputation helps us attract the right talent across all career stages.
We engage employees from day one through a connected on boarding programme, continuous learning opportunities, a robust performance management system, competitive rewards, and a hybrid work culture. Our environment promotes a deep sense of belonging — many employees see Cadbury as a close-knit family.
While the global japa trend has created challenges in retaining talent, we have remained competitive through our Total Rewards Framework, which includes incentives, bonuses, benefits, and career growth opportunities. We also prioritise succession planning — many of our senior leaders, including the Managing Director, Sales Director, and Manufacturing Director, rose through the ranks.
On boarding strategy for new hires
Our on boarding programme is comprehensive and designed to immerse new joiners in our culture, values, and expectations. Each new employee is paired with a “buddy” — a colleague who offers guidance and support during their transition.
Twice a year, we hold feedback sessions where new hires interact directly with the Managing Director and leadership team to share experiences and challenges. These sessions help refine our on boarding process and ease culture shock.
