Seven-up Bottling Company reaffirms commitment to gender equality at Influence Agency’s event

The Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting gender equality, calling for the foundational challenges against women to be addressed.

In a statement on Wednesday, the company said the Influence Agency, a public relations outfit, hosted its inaugural ‘Influencer Mixer’ in celebration of women’s month, with SBC identifying with the cause as a sponsor.

The event, according to the statement, was held at Nordic Hotel in Lagos, bringing together extraordinary women from diverse industries for an evening of storytelling, connection, and impactful conversations.

The company the event also provided a platform for voices, actors, and system drivers to share their journeys, discuss pressing issues, and explore actionable ways to create lasting change.

Nkemdirim Agboti, head of corporate affairs and legal at SBC, said the firm ensures the rights of women are protected while highlighting foundational challenges hindering gender equality.

“SBC ensures the right policies and initiatives for the support and advancement of women in the organisation,” she said.

“We however acknowledge and are saddened at the reality that there are many women outside of the corporate world who lack the fundamentals demanded by justice, I.e. adequate food, shelter, clothing, education, and medical care. Before we even talk about equality, these basics must be addressed.”

Also speaking, Folayinka Dania, chief resilience officer at the Lagos State Resilience Office, highlighted the government’s efforts to empower women through various initiatives.

She, however, emphasised the need for reciprocity, asking women to seek out the necessary information to access opportunities, such as funding and capacity development, made available by Lagos.

In her welcome speech, Oluwarantimi Olaniyan, co-curator of the Influencer Mixer, said the event is about women’s dignity.

“Recent events have underscored the urgent need for deliberate and accelerated action,” she said.

“Without the active inclusion of women in decision-making, socio-economic progress will remain stalled.”

The statement said guests at the event included Modupe Aretomobi, category manager at Nigerian Distilleries Limited, Chinyere Inya, partner at Future Africa, and Debbie Larry-Izamoje, chief executive officer of Brilla Media Group.

Also in attendance were Karren Ubani, founder of Karren Ubani Apparels, Oseremi Inegbenebor, sports journalist, and Ina Arome, senior counsel at MasterCard.

At the event, the SBC said brands and influencers shared insights on impactful campaigns and causes, recognising that influence extends beyond individual content creators.

The company added that the event facilitated real-time collaborations and networking among women from corporate leadership, finance, law, entertainment, and social impact sectors.