We’ve spent over N4bn on community devt projects – BATNF

The British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation (BATNF) said it has expended over N4 billion on various projects, across communities in Nigeria, and impacted about 1.7 million Nigerians, since its inception two decades ago.

Giving the Foundation’s scorecard in Lagos, at a media briefing, held on Monday, one of its Board members, Mr. Yarub al Bahrani, stated that since its establishment, twenty years ago, the Foundation had also impacted over 300,000 smallholder farmers, and invested in over 300 community development projects, across states of Nigeria, including FCT.

He stated that one of the focal areas of the Foundation in the past two decades had been on safe drinking and hygienic water for farmers, to which, he added, BATNF had developed over 105 solar-powered boreholes to ensure beneficiaries have access to safe water.

Bahrani however explained that the Foundation was able to record those feats through its partnership with over 100 stakeholders, including government agencies, NGOs, private sector organizations, and other industry stakeholders; since such partnerships had enabled the Foundation to leverage resources, expertise, and networks, amplifying its impact and reach.

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The Board Chairperson, BATNF, Adebisi Lamikanra, noted that the Foundation had made tangible impact in the lives of rural smallholder farmers, women, and youth, promoting economic growth, and improving livelihoods, in the past twenty years.

“As we celebrate two decades of transformative impact, our focus on agriculture, the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, has been exploited by supporting smallholder farmers and equipping them with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Let us continue to nurture the seeds of change we’ve sown, and our unwavering commitment to empowering rural Nigeria be the catalyst for a brighter future for generations to come,” she stated.

Reflecting on the Foundation’s 20-year journey, General Manager, Oludare Odusanya, stated that the Foundation had, in the past two decades, been privileged to partner with rural communities in Nigeria, witnessing first-hand the power of knowledge acquisition and economic empowerment.

“This journey has been incredibly fulfilling, and we take great pride in the positive impact we’ve made thus far,” he added.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE