Boluwatife Akinola Selected as 14th Recipient of 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship

L-R: Norden Thurston, Chief Marketing Officer, Seven-Up Bottling Company Ltd(SBC); Nkemdirim Agboti, Head, Legal & Corporate Affairs, SBC; Boluwatife Akinola, 2024 7up Harvard Business School Scholarship recipient; Ziad Maalouf, Managing Director, SBC; Sola Olaniyan, 2014 recipient and Yinka Olufade, Head, People and Culture, SBC at the 7up HBS Scholarship Award presentation at SBC headquarters, ijora Lagos on Wednesday.

Seven-Up Bottling Company, Nigeria's foremost beverage brand, is delighted to announce Boluwatife Akinola as the 14th recipient of the esteemed 7Up Harvard Business School (HBS) scholarship award. Ms. Akinola was honored at a special ceremony held at the SBC headquarters in Ijora, Lagos.

This fully funded MBA scholarship at the renowned Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, is awarded annually to a Nigerian resident who has been accepted into the HBS MBA program but lacks the financial means to pursue it.

The selection process for the recipient is comprehensive and competitive, with a winner chosen based on specific criteria established by the management of Seven-Up Bottling Company.

Nkemdirm Agboti, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at SBC, praised the Chairman, Mr. Faysal El-Khalil, for initiating the 7Up Harvard Business School Scholarship program and acknowledged the contributions of Managing Director, Mr. Ziad Maalouf, in maintaining and enhancing the initiative.

Chief Marketing Officer Norden Thurston remarked that this initiative exemplifies SBC's commitment to inspiring and empowering young Nigerians by investing in the education of the nation's future leaders.

"By granting ordinary Nigerians extraordinary access to one of the world's premier educational institutions, we are equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to make a significant impact on society, while also motivating them to drive innovation and change across various sectors for a better future."

The 7Up Harvard Business School scholarship, established in 2010 to honor SBC’s 50th anniversary, has successfully granted awards to 14 recipients and has evolved into a symbol of SBC’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and its dedication to contributing to the community in which it has operated since October 1, 1960.

Reinforcing this commitment, Managing Director Ziad Maalouf emphasized that the initiative aims to cultivate a cadre of globally educated Nigerians who will play a vital role in the nation’s progress. In his address to the recipient, Mr. Maalouf encouraged her to “Go, spread your wings, learn and develop.

However, it is essential to return home to make a difference in Nigeria, and SBC will support you in this endeavor.” He stated, “By empowering young minds like yours, we are establishing a foundation for a brighter future for all Nigerians.”

Since its inception, the scholarship has acknowledged and supported exceptional individuals who have achieved notable successes, including Misan Rewane, the first recipient in 2010, who is actively engaged in enhancing the employability skills of recent graduates across West Africa through her organization, West African Vocational Education (WAVE).

Other previous recipients who are achieving remarkable feats and contributing positively to society include: Olujimi Williams (2012), Mayowa Kuyoro (2013), Oluwasola Olaniyan (2014), Bankole Makanjuola (2015), Chidozie Ibekwe (2016), Ahmed Alimi (2017), Olunma Izejiobi (2018), Uzoma Anyanwa (2019), Abdul-Rahman Buhari (2020), Desayo Ajisegiri (2021), Dafi Rogers-Halliday (2022), and Oreoluwa Agunbiade (2023).

Expressing her appreciation, Boluwatife Akinola, the 2024 recipient, stated: “I am deeply honored to be awarded the 7Up Harvard Business School scholarship. This opportunity is a realization of my aspirations, and I am committed to leveraging my education to make a substantial impact in Nigeria by returning to contribute my expertise in reducing the number of out-of-school children in the country. I am grateful to SBC for recognizing my potential and providing me with this platform to contribute to the betterment of our society.”

As an organization, Seven Up Bottling Company remains dedicated to ensuring a more sustainable future for our beloved Nigeria by inspiring and empowering young Nigerians through various similar initiatives such as SME Scale Up, Pepsi Football Academy, and Pepsi Music Academy, among others.