Betting platform 22Bet Nigeria has reaffirmed its corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment by distributing 200 essential food boxes to vulnerable residents in the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos, marking the launch of its annual Christmas outreach programme.
The donation, carried out on Friday in partnership with the esteemed Lagos Food Bank Initiative, provided much-needed relief to a carefully selected cohort of beneficiaries, including widows, widowers, retirees, and low-income earners.
Speaking during the distribution, Mr Fikayo Ogunfuye, Country Director of 22Bet Nigeria, underscored the necessity of supporting the community that has enabled the company’s success over the past five years.
“This initiative was conceived to give back to the Lagos community, which has supported the company’s growth. While we have practised similar charitable campaigns in Oyo and other states, we felt it was particularly important this Christmas to support our patrons,” Mr Ogunfuye stated.
He added that the current economic climate made the gesture even more crucial. “The economy has been incredibly hard, and many people may not have much to celebrate this season. We thought this would enrich lives and make people happy as the year ends.”
Each food box, which the company valued at over N200,000, contained a generous assortment of cereals and other stable food items suitable for families and children. Mr Ogunfuye explained that the choice of Ebute-Metta followed meticulous assessments which identified the area as having a high concentration of vulnerable groups.
“We looked at areas that genuinely needed support, and we felt it was best to start here. Definitely, in the coming years, we shall extend our efforts to other parts of Lagos,” he confirmed.
While acknowledging the limitation of the current distribution, the Country Director expressed ambitious plans for future scaled-up editions. “This is a start, and we believe it is in the right direction. Next time, we are looking at doing 1,000 boxes or even 5,000 boxes.”
Dr Michael Sunbola, Executive Director of the Lagos Food Bank Initiative, highlighted the significance of the collaboration, particularly as households grapple with rising food prices and declining purchasing power.
“We are enjoying a very robust partnership with 22Bet Nigeria. The company has judiciously decided to use the Lagos Food Bank as a trusted vehicle to actualise its CSR objectives and reach out to hundreds of families here,” Dr Sunbola commented.
He noted the high quality of the provisions, which he said were “premium and capable of sustaining a family of five for at least two weeks, depending on consumption patterns.”
Dr Sunbola appealed to other corporate organisations to emulate this charitable effort, stressing that such relief programmes were the minimum that corporations could do to alleviate hardship among vulnerable societies, where poverty unfortunately breeds hunger. He confirmed that all 200 beneficiaries were pre-registered and issued cards to ensure an orderly distribution process.
