7Up Unveils 14th Recipient of Harvard Business School Scholarship Award

Mary Nnah

To empower and inspire young Nigerians, 7Up, Nigeria’s leading beverage brand, has unveiled Ms. Boluwatife Akinola as the 14th recipient of the prestigious 7Up Harvard Business School (HBS) scholarship award.

This fully funded MBA scholarship at the esteemed Harvard Business School in Boston, Massachusetts, USA, is awarded annually to a Nigerian resident who has been admitted to HBS but is unable to fund their education.

The unveiling ceremony, held at SBC’s head office in Ijora, Lagos, recently, was attended by dignitaries and representatives from Seven-Up Bottling Company.

Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, Mrs. Nkemdirim Agboti, commended the Chairman of SBC, Mr. Faysal El-Khalil, for initiating the scholarship programme, while also appreciating the efforts of the Managing Director, Mr. Ziad Maalouf, for sustaining and building on the initiative.

The 7Up Harvard Business School scholarship, established in 2010 to commemorate SBC’s 50th anniversary, has successfully awarded 14 recipients and has grown to become a testament to SBC’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and its dedication to giving back to the society.

Past recipients of the scholarship have gone on to achieve remarkable successes, including Misan Rewane, who is involved in upscaling the employability skills of fresh graduates across West Africa, and Olujimi Williams, Mayowa Kuyoro, Oluwasola Olaniyan, Bankole Makanjuola, Chidozie Ibekwe, Ahmed Alimi, Olunma Izejiobi, Uzoma Anyanwa, Abdul-Rahman Buhari, Desayo Ajisegiri, Dafi Rogers-Halliday, and Ms. Oreoluwa Agunbiade.

Ms. Boluwatife Akinola, the 2024 recipient, expressed her gratitude, saying, “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 by returning to contribute my quota in reducing the number of out-of-school children in Nigeria.”

As a business, Seven Up Bottling Company continues to guarantee a greener future for Nigeria by inspiring and enabling young Nigerians through various initiatives such as SME Scale Up, Pepsi Football Academy, and Pepsi Music Academy, amongst others.