‘Exxon Mobil Has Spent Over $20m on Anti Malaria Programme in Nigeria’

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Crude oil exploration giant, Exxon Mobil Nigeria, has so far committed over $20 million partnering with other stakeholders in the fight against malaria disease in the country.

National Basket Ball Association (NBA) Africa Vice President and Country Representative, Gbemisola  Abudu, said part of this amount was spent in promoting awareness on dangers posed by malaria and ways of preventing it
She disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY, at the Power Forward Malaria Youth Summit 2023 held in Abuja, at the weekend.  
Speaking on the malaria awareness outreach project being implemented in partnership with NBA and Pan-Africare, Abudu said: “This is a tripartite arrangement between the NBA, Exxon Mobil and Pan-Africa and the whole idea of the programme is harnessing the power of sports to educate the youths about malaria disease and its prevention.

‘We all know that the youths resonates with sports and being able to utilise that power of sports to educate them about a health issue is very important and has been a key aspect of the programme.

“I commend our partner Exxon Mobil and in terms of the amount of investments they make on anti-malaria campaign in Nigeria, they have spent over $20 million over the years on creation of malaria awareness and its prevention.”
On the outcome of the outreach project since its inception 10 years ago, Abudu said they have so far reached over 200,000 youths in Abuja.
“We have been able to take the programme to over 40 schools in Abuja,” she said.

Abudu said one of great features of the programme was that in addition to malaria sensitisation, the programme also used the opportunity to teach our youths life skills that keep them useful and productive as they grow.

“These are what we call the future of work skills. So whether the kids become a basket baller or not these are skills that remain with them forever,” Abudu added.
On why Nigeria still remained a high risk country in terms of malaria despite the interventions, Abudu said it would not be fair to say that there was no impact.
“You have to look at for instance, how youths that would have not been imparted if they did not know about the programme. When you talk about the position Nigeria occupies in malaria prevalence rating, that is a bigger issue,” she added.
Explaining further, Abudu said part of the things being done with the programme was to distribute malaria bed nets to the youths and teach them malaria prevention techniques.

According to her, the use of mosquito bed nets was presently low especially in the rural areas, adding that the focus was to create the awareness among the youth who would in turn help in sensitising others about the health dangers of malaria and what should be done to prevent them
Also speaking to THISDAY Country Director of Pan-Africare Dr. Patrick Adah, said the group was collaborating with the Exxon Mobil and the Nigeria Basket Association to implement programme known as Power Forward.

He said the group used the event to celebrate this year’s World Malaria Day.