The Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative (ASRi) has announced plans to donate $24.3 million (N10 billion) toward upscaling the healthcare system in four Nigerian states. The states that will benefit from the disbursement include Ogun, Sokoto, Kwara and Edo. Each state will receive $6 million (N2.5 billion).
According to ASRi Managing Director Ubon Udoh, the funds will target maternal and child healthcare, health infrastructure and capacity development.
“Since the inception of the Abdul Samad Rabiu Africa Initiative and its $100 million Africa fund for social development, we have identified key development needs in healthcare, education and social development within Nigeria and the African continent at large, and commenced implementation of some of these projects,” he said.
ASRi was founded by Rabiu this year to pursue socioeconomic philanthropy on the continent. It aims to support Nigerians and Africans in infrastructure and capacity development, as well as various governments nationally and continentally. Its goal is to dispense $50 million to Nigeria and $50 million to the rest of Africa.
The initiative’s focus areas are education, healthcare and social development, including equipping facilities, researchers, healthcare practitioners and community-level service providers, while supporting various governments in Nigeria and Sub-Saharan Africa.
In early May, Akwa Ibom State became the first state to benefit from the initiative’s healthcare scheme after it received N5 billion ($12.23 million at the time).