How Flour Mills’ $5.1million Donations Boost Fight Against Coronavirus

FMN, Nigeria’s biggest food business and agro-allied group brings its biggest strength to the table to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

The ongoing fight against coronavirus pandemic in Nigeria has received a massive boost with Flour Mills payment of its $2.8 million pledge to the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID), a coalition of business interests leading the private sector charge for testing and curtailing the global pandemic in Nigeria.

The food giant, in a bold move, also weathers herculean supply chain challenges to procure $1.5 million worth of medical supplies for Nigeria which will rapidly beef up the Nigerian COVID-19 testing capability; it has also commenced deployment of a $840,000 food relief packages to vulnerable communities in 12 states across the Nation.

Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic became a reality in Nigeria, the Federal government has been motivated to prepare a comprehensive response and mobilise resources to curtail the spread of the virus. To achieve this, the Nigeria private sector would need to get involved, get productive and deliver tangible support to the government. Nigeria currently has 373 confirmed cases, 11 deaths and 99 recoveries from the COVID-19 virus thus far in Nigeria.

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC (FMN Group) mandated by its unwavering commitment, sense of duty to Nigeria spanning the past 60 years, activated an action plan to support the government in fight against the coronavirus.

Kicking off this plan with a redemption of the Group’s 1 Billion Naira pledge to the CBN-led Nigerian Private Sector Coalition against COVID-19. It also commenced a $840,000 food relief distribution activity spanning 12 Nigerian States, delivering food supplies to the most vulnerable communities hit by National lockdown.

The COVID-19 scourge has also necessitated global economies to implement restrictions to ensure their frontline responders have sufficient medical supplies and personal protection equipment (PPE) to combat the virus. As such, supply chain of medical supplies in these unprecedented times has been severely impacted globally.

FMN initiated a global supply chain plan to help provide The Nigerian Government with tangible, and tactical support during the global economic lockdown. This initiative was spearheaded by the philanthropic Industrialist John Coumantaros, Chairman of the FMN Group. Planning involved the leadership of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), vendors from 5 Nations, multiple logistics partners, and a tireless team drawn from the FMN group’s operational leadership. The team scaled through varying national restrictions on medical supply procurement, limited stock, transport restrictions, but stayed resolute in the race to help Nigeria manage and flatten the curve.

The medical supplies being facilitated:

• 331,000 pieces of PPE (N95 Masks, Coveralls, Protective gloves, Protective eyewear) enough to provide regular use for 10,000 Nigerian health care professionals over two months.

• 35,000 laboratory-based testing capacity

• 100/day field-testing capacity

• 75 Ventilators to be distributed through the NCDC

The company’s Group Chief Operating Officer, Boye Olusanya while kicking off the FMN COVID-19 response action said: “To reduce the impact of the Coronavirus outbreak, FMN will continue to work with the Federal Government and related agencies to provide relief materials. The safety of Nigerians is paramount to us, so we encourage all Nigerians to adhere to the necessary protective measures against the virus and its spread.”

FMN relying on its 60-year-old profile as an industrial investor in Nigeria’s critical industries and a significant contributor to Nigeria’s quest to feed itself, is bringing its biggest strength to the table, using its global supply chain network to help Nigeria defend itself against COVID-19.