Rotary International commits $9.8m to tackle malaria, diarrhoea in Nigeria

The Rotary International President-elect for the year 2026/2027, Olayinka Akeem Babalola, has announced that the organisation has committed $9.8 million to tackle malaria and diarrhoea in Nigeria.

Babalola, while briefing the media in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Rotary Foundation has committed $9.8 million to tackle malaria, diarrhoea, and immunisation adding that Rotary have a project going on in Kebbi and a few other states to make a significant impact.

He explained that the project is built on lessons learned from a $4 million project in Zambia, which reduced malaria cases by close to 50%.

“We know what to do to finish the job. We’re committed to making a difference in Nigeria, and we’re working with the government to achieve our goals,” he said.

Babalola also highlighted Rotary International’s other areas of focus, including maternal and child health, disease prevention and treatment, water and sanitation, community development, economic development, peace and conflict prevention, and the environment.

On polio, Babalola noted that Nigeria is certified wild polio-free, but there are still cases of variant polio. “We need to continue to vaccinate our children,” he said. “Until there are no more cases of polio, no child is safe.”

Babalola also emphasised the importance of routine immunisation coverage, which is currently low in some parts of Nigeria. “We need to get to 95% immunisation coverage to achieve herd immunity.”

He said, “Rotary International has committed significant funds to support Nigeria’s efforts in eradicating polio and improving maternal and child health.

“The organisation has invested over $300 million in Nigeria to combat polio since initiating its global immunisation efforts. This investment is part of a broader commitment, with Rotary International spending nearly $3 billion globally to fight polio.

“In addition to polio eradication efforts, Rotary International is addressing maternal and child health in Nigeria through a $2 million Programme of Scale grant. The initiative, titled ‘Healthy Families in Nigeria’, aims to reduce maternal and infant mortality by increasing the number of births in healthcare facilities.

“This program has shown promising results, with one district reporting an increase in healthcare facility births from 11% to 33% within the first year.

“Rotary International has also donated $14 million to the Nigerian government to support polio surveillance activities and curb the spread of all poliovirus strains throughout the nation.

“This grant will support efforts to monitor and track polio until Nigeria achieves its goal of eradicating all forms of the virus.

“The organisation has been working closely with the Nigerian government and other partners to strengthen immunisation efforts and improve healthcare outcomes.”

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