SIFAX Group, a conglomerate with investment in Maritime, Aviation, Logistics, Oil & Gas, Financial Services and Hospitality, said it spent over N250 million on corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes across Nigeria in 2021.
The company said that its CSR is focused primarily on education, health, economic empowerment (youth and women) and the physically-challenged.
On education and health, hundreds of indigent students enjoyed full scholarship while equipment and facilities were donated to public educational and health institutions. Individuals with medical emergencies also received financial support.
Youth and women economic empowerment also took a large chunk of the budget with skill acquisition trainings organized for unemployed youths and women across the country. Business grants were also extended to those who completed the training programmes. Some targeted and disadvantaged poor households were also catered to as food items were donated to them on a monthly basis.
Various initiatives targeted at the physically-challenged children living with conditions like autism, down syndrome and the blind were also supported by the company in the course of the year.
Most of these projects were executed through its philanthropic arm, Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation (AAAF) which has offices in Lagos, Zaria and Umuahia.
Speaking on the 2021 CSR projects, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, Group Executive Vice Chairman, SIFAX Group, said one of the key pillars of the company’s business philosophy is to positively impact humanity and the society in any economy where the company carries out its operations.
According to him: “Right from the inception of our company in 1988, we have integrated social impact into our business strategy. Our businesses are not designed for profit making alone. We see ourselves as a platform that support social causes that provide access to opportunities, engender social stability and economic prosperity. We are motivated to do more when we see the physical impact of these CSR projects on the beneficiaries who today run into thousands.”
Foluke Ademokun, Executive Coordinator, AAAF, on her own part, noted that the beneficiaries of the various programmes are making a judicious use of the opportunities, adding that the Foundation seeks to partner with more sponsors, both domestic and international, as well as other stakeholders, in order to touch more lives.
