7Up Bottling Company has announced Ms. Boluwatife Akinola as the 14th recipient of the prestigious 7Up Harvard Business School (HBS) scholarship. The announcement was made at a ceremony held at the company’s head office in Ijora, Lagos.
The fully funded scholarship, awarded annually by 7Up, is granted to a Nigerian resident who has been admitted to the MBA program at Harvard Business School but requires financial support. The selection process is highly competitive, with candidates evaluated based on stringent criteria by the company’s management.
Mrs. Nkemdirim Agboti, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs at 7Up, praised the initiative’s founder, Mr. Faysal El-Khalil, and acknowledged the ongoing support of the Managing Director, Mr. Ziad Maalouf, for sustaining and expanding the program.
Mr. Norden Thurston, Chief Marketing Officer of 7Up, highlighted the company’s commitment to empowering young Nigerians through education. “By providing ordinary Nigerians with extraordinary access to one of the world’s leading educational institutions, we are equipping them with the skills needed to drive innovation and change across various sectors for a better society,” he stated.
The scholarship, established in 2010 to commemorate 7Up’s 50th anniversary, has since become a cornerstone of the company’s corporate social responsibility efforts. The initiative aims to nurture a pool of globally educated Nigerians who will contribute significantly to the nation’s development.
Mr. Maalouf reiterated this commitment, encouraging Ms. Akinola to excel at Harvard and return to Nigeria to make a positive impact. “By empowering young minds like yourself, we are laying the foundation for a brighter future for all Nigerians,” he said.
Ms. Akinola, expressing her gratitude, said, “I am deeply honored to receive the 7Up Harvard Business School scholarship. This opportunity is a dream come true, and I am committed to using my education to make a significant impact in Nigeria, particularly in reducing the number of out-of-school children.”
Since its inception, the scholarship has supported 14 exceptional individuals who have gone on to achieve remarkable success, including Misan Rewane, the first recipient in 2010, who is now involved in enhancing employability skills across West Africa through her organization, West African Vocational Education (WAVE). Other notable recipients include Olujimi Williams (2012), Mayowa Kuyoro (2013), and Dafi Rogers-Halliday (2022), among others.
7Up Bottling Company continues to invest in Nigeria’s future through various initiatives such as SME Scale Up, Pepsi Football Academy, and Pepsi Music Academy, ensuring a brighter and greener future for the country.
