Kimberly-Clark ceases operations in Nigeria after 14 years

By Innocent Raphael

Kimberly-Clark, an American multinational renowned for its Huggies brand, has announced its decision to halt local manufacturing and sales operations in Nigeria, ending its 14-year presence in the country.

The company revealed this decision in a statement released on Friday, attributing the move to recently adjusted global strategic priorities and the prevailing economic conditions in Nigeria.

“Kimberly-Clark today announces it has made the difficult decision to exit its business in Nigeria after almost 15 years, due to recently refocused company strategic priorities globally as well as economic developments in the country,” the statement read.

As part of this exit, Kimberly-Clark will shut down its manufacturing facility and commercial office in Lagos, discontinuing the production, marketing, and sales of its Huggies and Kotex products in Nigeria.

The company emphasized its commitment to ensuring that employees and partners are treated with fairness and respect during the transition.

Kimberly-Clark had made significant investments in Nigeria, including opening a factory in the Ikorodu area of Lagos in 2022, with an estimated cost of over $100 million.

This exit follows a recent trend of multinational corporations leaving the Nigerian market. In August 2023, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc announced plans to transfer its business activities to a third-party organization.

Similarly, in November 2023, French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Aventis Nigeria Limited halted its direct operations in the country. By December 2023, Procter and Gamble revealed plans to shift from local production to importing its products.