Christmas in Nigeria arrives each year in a blaze of colour, culture, and cheerful togetherness — a season where families and friends reunite, share meals, exchange warmth, and celebrate the rich traditions of the communities they call home.
Like the ancient tales surrounding the birth of Jesus - the very reason there is Christmas - especially the one creatively recounted by T S Eliot in one of his evergreen poems "Journey of The Magi" that re-echoes the symbolic gifts given to baby Jesus in the manger by the three wise men from the East, Christmas season comes on the platter of endless merriment.
In defiant display of magnanimity as a giant brand whose products are daily found on the liquid diet of children, young and old, the Nigerian Breweries set rolling a train with tantalizing tales aboard to be offloaded in six selected cities across in a month-long season of gifts now famously tagged ‘Detty December.’
With an economic value estimated at over ₦100 billion, ‘Detty December’ offers big brands rich opportunities to garnish the festive season with carefully told brand narratives while celebrating the people and their culture. And Nigerian Breweries Plc never lagged behind as a powerhouse of A-list brands.
Code-named ’A Legendary Christmas' NB Plc carefully designed not only to celebrate with the residents but for the brewery giant to also tap into the huge marketing minefields moving round in millions in the season of festivities.
Known for elegance, glamour and top-notch taste, the Nigerian Breweries Plc has earmarked a month-long activities-packed events across six cities in Nigeria' to boost the festive mode of the special season with one of the largest coordinated festive lighting installations ever mounted in the country.
Beyond the Christmas street-lighting across six cities and seven landmark sites, Nigerian Breweries also upped the colourful events with over 13 kilometres of lit road networks.
In the commercial city of Aba, Abia State, a consumer, who simply introduced himself as Martins, said the Amstel Malta giant Xmas light erected at Brass Junction has become a tourist centre with huge daily human traffic as consumers in their hundreds throng the place to catch fun.
"During this yuletide season, Nigerian Breweries changed the social status of the commercial city of Aba with many families moving to the site to take pictures. How I wished the company could have reporters on ground to monitor events and profile people coming for merriment at the spot. For me, it's a milestone and I commend Nigerian Breweries for this initiative," Martins said.
Meanwhile, as at the last count, the Nigerian Breweries train has visited the six cities, including Lagos, Ibadan, Aba, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and Abuja. Also, over 13km of road was lit up.
By bringing back regional Beer Villages - arenas that offer guests to mingle and celebrate, Nigerian Breweries reignited moments for immersive brand storytelling that highlighted its connection to Nigerian culture and creativity.
As conversations flowed, one shared sentiment became clear, this December was carved an uncommon special one where the spirit of unity kept the cheer and love alive.
Mixing fun and enthralling brand narratives, Nigerian Breweries also activated seven of its legacy brands, Maltina, Amstel Malta, Heineken, Desperados, Life Beer, Goldberg, and Legend, to deliver distinctive December experiences.
According to the Marketing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mrs Sarah Agha, the initiative represents a commitment to amplifying the spirit of the season.
“Every December, Nigeria transforms into something extraordinary. What began as a local year-end celebration has evolved into a global cultural export. This year, we are creating experiences across the country that capture the joy, creativity, and togetherness that make this season special,” she said.
The brand activation catered to diverse audiences, ranging from the family-focused offerings led by Maltina and Amstel Malta, to the nightlife-driven cultural showcases supported by Heineken, Desperados, Life Beer, Goldberg, and Legend.
Reacting to the current trend, the Head of Marketing Communications at Nigerian Breweries Plc, Sandra Amachree, said the 2025 Christmas activation is in line with the company's philosophy to always strive and celebrate with its consuming public.
"As a company, our brands are relevant in every home and across the country, so it was important for us to spread the joy of Christmas across the country," Amachree stated.
It would be recalled that months after the 2024 edition of Detty December initiated by the breweries giant to bond more with consumers, the social and cultural nuances of the activation were still creating vibes around various brands from the stable of the company. With the interesting activities that heralded this year’s edition, the ‘Tales of Six Cities’ will also create vibe and stimulate the market in the first quarter of 2026.
Twelve years ago, Nigeria’s first indigenous beer brand, Star, from the stable of the company, caused a stir in the market, with the building of the largest bottle tree in the world made with 8,000 beer bottles, at Eko Atlantic Bar Beach Stretch, Victoria Island, Lagos.
The Star bottle tree, which sat proudly at the Star Beer Village, during the annual deluxe Copa Lagos beach soccer event from December 12 to 14, 2014, was built to showcase the creativity that abounds in the country and it stood as an iconic landmark shining on into the New Year 2015. Like a magnetic touch, the creative work had an instant effect on the market and further connected the beer brand with consumers.
In the same way, the ‘Detty December’ otherwise tagged ‘the Ultimate Festive Companion’, was meant to position Nigerian Breweries brands as integral to the festive experiences of ‘Detty December’ in a competitive beverage market. Among other opportunities, the activation leveraged the cultural significance of December in Nigeria to embed the brand into consumers’ emotional and celebratory moments.
Like similar campaigns, the concept was conseptualised to drive brand preference, emotional connection, and increased sales during the festive season. It achieved more than that as many consumers expressed their loyalties to the various brands beyond transnational relationships.
Reflecting on Nigerian Breweries’ longstanding history of immersive festive activations, Tales of Six Cities underscores a consistent insight — that December is more than a season; it is a collective cultural experience woven with music, memories, and celebration. By embedding its brands into these shared moments, Nigerian Breweries continues to build deeper emotional connections with consumers, sustaining the festive spirit well beyond the holiday lights.