Burger King, America’s leading multinational fast food chain, opened its first Nigerian location on Saturday.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker of the House of Representatives, inaugurated the flagship store in the Ajose Adeogun area of Lagos’ Victoria Island.
At the launch, Gbajabiamila stated that the latest Burger King flagship location would be the highest revenue-generating branch in the world.
“We welcome Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) into the country and expect more,” Gbajabiamila said.
He assured Burger King Corporation that the federal government would do everything possible to assist and ease the American fast food chain’s business environment.
According to Jennifer Woods, Commercial Counselor at the United States Mission, with Africa’s largest economy and a sizable youth population connected to the rest of the world, U.S. brands must consider Nigeria a critical market.
According to Woods, while American companies will benefit from expansion into Nigeria, Nigeria will benefit from their presence as well.
Woods stated that the US Mission provided Burger King Corporation with industry-specific trade counseling to assist them in their expansion into Nigeria.
“In October, I had the opportunity to tour this facility and was thrilled to see the employees undergoing rigorous training to meet the high standards of a global franchise, providing opportunities for personal growth and career advancement to dozens of Nigerians.”
“This restaurant provides a nostalgic taste of America for those with ties to the United States, including those here today from the United States Consulate General.”
“We see tremendous opportunity for Burger King and other American franchises here because sharing a meal is an experience that brings people together,” she explained.
In addition, Robert Lu, General Manager of Burger King Corporation (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), thanked the Nigerian government for welcoming the brand.
Lu stated that Nigeria has been a priority market for the past ten years, and he is overjoyed to “finally call it a reality.”
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring our guests the iconic Whoppers, fries, and delectable BK food that they’ve been requesting for years.”
“We can’t wait to show them what it’s like to do things their way at Burger King,” he said.