NGX Group Launches Project BLOOM to Tackle Child Malnutrition in Lagos Underserved Communities

Employees of the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) have embarked on a volunteer-driven mission to combat child malnutrition in underserved Lagos communities. Through Project BLOOM—short for Bringing Life to Our Overlooked Minors—NGX staff are working alongside healthcare workers to deliver therapeutic food, conduct health screenings, and teach caregivers how to prepare nutritious meals with locally sourced ingredients. The initiative is a collaboration between NGX Group, Health Emergency Initiative (HEI) Nigeria, and the Lagos State government.

According to UNICEF, Nigeria ranks second globally for the percentage of children suffering from stunting, with 32% of those under five affected and over two million battling severe acute malnutrition, many without access to treatment. Project BLOOM specifically targets severely malnourished children and caregivers in seven vulnerable communities, including Ifako Ijaiye, Agege, Iwaya, Makoko, Bariga, Ilaje, and Ajegunle, combining immediate nutritional aid with long-term education and support.

At the inaugural outreach in Aiyetoro Primary Health Centre, Yaba, NGX’s Group Managing Director/CEO Temi Popoola, represented by CFO and Investment & Strategy Officer Adebayo Opatade, emphasised the company’s belief in aligning community growth with market growth. He highlighted the importance of employee-led initiatives that address urgent social issues, noting that NGX leverages its platform, partnerships, and people to create sustainable impact.

HEI’s Executive Director, Dr. Pascal Achunine, underscored the urgency of tackling preventable malnutrition, framing Project BLOOM as both an immediate intervention and a long-term solution. Similarly, Dr. Oludolapo Shotunde of Lagos State Health District IV praised the outreach as timely and aligned with state health priorities, while local government representatives pledged continued community support for the programme’s mission.

Project BLOOM aligns with NGX Group’s CSR pillars of Community and Workforce and supports three United Nations Sustainable Development Goals—Zero Hunger (SDG 2), Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17). Beneficiaries will be monitored over the next three months with the help of local health authorities to measure recovery progress and inform the scaling of future interventions.

Source: Leadership