ExxonMobil: $37.4m Spent On Anti Malaria Programmes In Nigeria In The Past 20 Years

ExxonMobil, an American oil and gas giant, has said that it has invested more than $37.4 million or over N15 billion in Nigeria-based malaria programmes since 2002 through its humanitarian organization, the ExxonMobil Foundation. It explained that the fund was spent in cash grants to partners working to develop community-based solutions in Nigeria since 2002. The international oil company (IOC) has said that within the last 20 years, the foundation had embarked on funding community education, providing tools for the prevention and treatment of the diseases and the training of health workers, adding that its 2022 grant recipients would be focused on leveraging the power of sports to engage Nigerian youth. The foundation, in collaboration with ExxonMobil affiliate companies in Nigeria, also announced its renewed support for partner organisations committed to ending malaria in Nigeria.

Issued in a statement yesterday, the oil company explained that these grants, amongst their other scheduled activities for World Malaria Day, were to mark the 20th anniversary of ExxonMobil’s support for programmes to reduce the burden of malaria in Nigeria.

To mark its 20th year of the fight against malaria in Nigeria and in continuation of this legacy, the ExxonMobil has announced its 2022 grant recipients. The grant recipients include PanAfricare, in conjunction with NBA Power Forward, to foster the development of youth in Nigeria through sports, life skills and malaria education; and the Grassroot Soccer, to use the convening power of soccer to increase awareness of malaria and HIV/AIDS among young people across Nigeria through sports curriculum.

Another recipient of the ExxonMobil grant is the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, which aims to advance scientific knowledge and understanding to advance progress towards the eradication of malaria.

“This World Malaria Day, we mark ExxonMobil’s contributions over the past two decades that have helped equip and strengthen resilience within our communities to fight against malaria. Thanks to these efforts, Nigeria is better prepared to continue the progress we have made and work toward a malaria-free future,” said Richard Laing, the Chairman and Managing Director, ExxonMobil affiliate Companies in Nigeria.

ExxonMobil’s Malaria Initiative works with nonprofit partners and leading global health organizations to advance progress against the disease in malaria-endemic countries by supporting malaria education and awareness, improving access to tools for prevention, diagnosis and treatment, strengthening health infrastructure and advancing research and innovation. The initiative continues to support malaria prevention and control programs in Nigeria, a country which currently accounts for more than one quarter of the global burden of the disease.

In honor of World Malaria Day, the company said these partners were focused on leveraging the power of sports and media to reach Nigerian youth, through malaria-themed tournaments and creative radio, television and school-based malaria campaigns, among other activities.