I agree,Nigerians love champagne and I mean a lot.
According to Africa Check, in 2014, Nigeria ranked 23rd among the world's largest champagne importers. The country imported 768, 131 bottles that year.
In
terms of actual bottles sold, Nigeria ranked 22nd for 1.1 million
bottles of champagne. Forget about the fake news in 2015 that Nigeria
was the second largest consumer of champagne in the world. Take away the
alternative facts and Nigerians still guzzle a lot of champagne most
especially for a third world country.
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Nigerians love the good life (Jide Alakija )
The Global brand ambassador for Moët & Chandon, Pierre-Louis Araud in an interview with Guardian Nigeria, that Nigeria is the brand's biggest market.
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Nigerians love them a good expensive champagne (Moet & Chandon)
For
a country dealing with the recession and perpetually stuck in the
developing countries league, guzzling a high volume of champagne might
seem out of place.
Every country has its
culture code, a cultural DNA that makes it unique and separates it from
others. In Nigeria, our culture code is the good life, to enjoy life at
all times no matter cost. We want to be happy and party all the time.
We love to drive flashy cars. Go to the Palms
in Lekki on any given day and you will see so many German and Italian
luxurious cars. You would think you are in Monaco. Our attitude towards
life is to be aspirational and be able to afford the finer things in
life.
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The Palms Shopping Mall, Lekki(Hotel Republic )
These things are, the latest model of the Toyota Camry or Honda Accord, a house in Lekki, summer vacation to England or America among others. We want to live larger than life.
Once
you understand this, you would know why Nigerians are crazy champagne,
the drink of champions and millionaires. It's been said that rich people
drink champagne because poor people can't afford it. Once rich people
can afford to drink a bottle of champagne, rich people would no longer
patronize it.
A bottle of champagne is a
status symbol just like a luxurious car. It shows you are not among the
regular. Nigerians love to show off that God has blessed them
financially. A bottle or bottles of champagne sends along that message.
"I
think in Nigeria, you have people who love to enjoy life... We see that
Nigerian people are successful and the drink resonates with
them...Either during the day or at night you will see that Nigerians
like to party and enjoy life" says Pierre-Louis Araud about Nigerians in his Guardian Nigeria interview.
Not only do Nigerians spend mega amounts of money partying, we are also known to splash the cash on weddings. In 2014, Forbes
published a report which stated that Nigeria's elite spent over $2M
(N600M) on super weddings. Despite the downturn in the economy, the
Nigerian wedding industry is still booming.
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Champagne showers at a Nigerian wedding reception (Bella Naija/Jide Akinyemi )
Just
like cars and houses, weddings in most parts of Nigeria are a statement
of financial wealth and social class. It is a chance to make a
statement. Bottles of champagne are just one way to show the world you
come from money.
Nigerians have always
had a taste for the finer things in life which is puzzling looking at
the state of the country for so many years. Nigerians put their money in
luxury goods and in church but not in the state.
We would gladly drink champagne all day and drive home in the latest Range Rover jeep on bad roads.
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