ABUJA 29 August 2016

New initiative will strengthen efforts to improve healthcare and tackle malnutrition crisis in north east.

Business leader Aliko Dangote and Bono, lead singer of rock group U2 and Co-founder of The ONE Campaign, launched a new partnership between the Dangote Foundation and ONE to help tackle immediate and ongoing challenges facing Nigeria.

Mr Dangote announced he is joining the board of ONE after meeting with the Nigerian Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, where they discussed the urgent need to address the malnutrition and employment crisis in the north east, as well as the importance of health in helping the country’s progress.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, Dangote and Bono said the partnership between The Dangote Foundation and ONE will strengthen civil society in Nigeria. It will support the country’s and continent’s continued economic transformation.

The partnership will focus on the most marginalised citizens, particularly girls and women, who face the brunt of poverty and help empower those most at risk from extreme poverty, extreme climate and extreme ideology.

The new partnership will help amplify the calls of millions of Nigerian ONE members, who have been campaigning for years on issues including health, anti-corruption and agriculture. This year’s Make Naija Stronger campaign calls for the Government to deliver on its commitments to invest more in healthcare.

Dangote said:

“I’m investing in ONE and partners across Nigeria to strengthen civil society and help the government respond to our ongoing health needs and the urgent malnutrition crisis in north east Nigeria. ONE’s extensive network of youth groups and its 2.3 million members will help bring international attention to and action on these issues. All of us can and must do more.”

Bono said:

“I’m proud to be standing alongside Aliko Dangote, whose Foundation works for the future of Nigeria and Africa through its young people. The youth of Nigeria, Africa and indeed anywhere are like rocket fuel – there are no limits to how far they can go, but let’s make sure it’s in the right direction. Let’s harness their positive energy and prevent them from turning to extremism by investing in their education, employment and healthcare.

It is far better to support people now, than pay the price with conflict later. President Buhari knows this, as do African democratic leaders across the continent. In fact, leaders around the

world from America to Europe are waking up to the need for massive investments in African youth to prevent future instability.”

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. Bono and Dangote visited Borno State on Sunday 28 August where they learned about the severe malnutrition crisis the region is facing. The UN has warned that without immediate action, 49,000 children are at risk of dying.
2. ONE’s Make Naija Stronger campaign, spearheaded by Waje and backed by Dangote and Bono calls for increased quality and quantity of investment in Nigeria’s health system: and for a stronger short and long term response to the crisis in north east Nigeria, especially the acute severe malnutrition faced by thousands in that fragile region.
3. Make Naija Stronger is calling on FGN to fund the Basic Health Care Fund with 1% CRF for health promised in the National Health Act 2014, through transparent budgets, because today 158 mothers in Nigeria will die due to pregnancy and childbirth related causes and about 2000 children will die needlessly from disease and malnutrition. It is not just about more money, it is about boosting transparency in health systems and fighting corruption.
4. The Dangote Foundation has donated over 3 billion Naira in response to the crisis in north east Nigeria (food, clothing and construction materials), where more than 1.2 million Internally Displaced Persons are facing severe health and malnutrition crises.
5. ONE works with partners across Nigeria and Africa in its awareness and action rising campaigns, partners like Nigerian Health Watch, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, Afri-Dev info, and Centre for the Right to Health.
6. ONE has run many effective campaigns in Nigeria: Last year ONE catalysed the Strong Girls campaign featuring Omotola Jalade, Yemi Alade, Banky W D’banj and Waje; In 2014, D’banj spearheaded the “Do Agric” campaign alongside other Nigerian ambassadors namely Femi Kuti, Omawumi, Don Tom, Kunle Ayo Cobhams and Desmond Elliot and in May 2016, ONE partnered with the federal Ministry of Justice on anti-corruption. A decade ago, ONE helped drive global support for Nigerian debt relief.