Diageo unveils new contest

Diageo has kicked off its World-Class competition in Nigeria to elevate the mixology industry, train bartenders, and encourage a deeper appreciation for fine spirits.

The company, during a media launch in Lagos on Thursday, announced the contest, which will culminate in a global final in Toronto, Canada, seeks to redefine bartending as a viable career choice.

Diageo Customer Marketing Director, Western and Central Africa, Bodam Taiwo, highlighted the purpose of the competition, stating, “We’ve officially kicked off our World-Class competition, which Diageo does for three things. First, to upskill bartenders. Second, to help people fall in love with our brands, including Johnny Walker, Singleton, and Don Julio. And third, to change the lives of bartenders by offering them global opportunities.”

Taiwo emphasised the need for bartending to be seen as a professional career path, noting that many currently view it as a temporary job. “Diageo wants to change that. We want people to see the industry as something they can build a career in,” she added.

The competition will unfold in several phases, beginning with a media launch and followed by a Community Day, where aspiring and established bartenders will be introduced to world-class training modules and challenges.

Diageo Brand Ambassador, Nigeria, Sylvester Modo, explained the next steps: “We will guide participants on how to enter by creating a video showcasing their cocktail-making skills with our brands. Winners will then advance to regional competitions in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.”

Regional winners will face off in a national final in Lagos, where one bartender will be selected to represent Nigeria at the global competition in September 2025.

Further, Mixologist and Diageo cocktail trainer, Berg Baboyan, revealed company will train 90 mixologists across the three key locations.

“We have three models—Johnny Walker Black Label, Singleton 12-Year-Old, and Don Julio Blanco. These will form the basis of our training and competition challenges,” Baboyan revealed.

Diageo called on interested mixologists to register their entries by engaging in a creative challenge, where they must craft a modern classic inspired by their personality and workplace. “They must create a cocktail that embodies both their bar and themselves, making it memorable and iconic.

According to the company, the participants are required to upload their cocktail creations on Instagram, tagging the competition along with their hashtag.