In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Lafarge Africa (LafargeHolcim group) has deployed a NGN500m (US$1.28m) intervention fund to provide medical infrastructure, food and essential medications to its host communities.

During the first phase of the intervention launched on the 6 April 2020, the company converted two of its facilities in Sagamu and Ashaka to be used as isolation centres, and also provided infrastructure support such as generators, ambulances and critical personal protection equipment (PPE) for health professionals and its host states. In the second phase of the intervention, Lafarge distributed food and medical supplies to its host communities targeting 60,000 beneficiaries across 10,000 families.

The Country CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, Khaled El Dokani, said, "Prior to the outbreak of the pandemic, we maintained health facilities in our host community in Ashaka. Today, we have a fully equipped isolation centre in Ashaka and Sagamu to support the state Government’s efforts to curb the pandemic. We are now making a further contribution to the health and resilience of all our host communities by donating essential food items and critical medicines to make it easier for people to survive during this pandemic as the Nigerian economy gradually rebounds."

In addition to the provision of food relief packages to over 60,000 beneficiaries, Lafarge has also enhanced the conditions of community health centres and clinics in Ewekoro and Sagamu in Ogun State, Ashaka in Gombe and Mfamosing in Cross River State through the donation of primary drugs and secondary-care facilities as well as other personal protection equipment to boost health care delivery in the host communities.

Lafarge has also established health and safety initiatives in host communities through interventions that support water sanitation and hygiene (WASH) scheme, as well as other continuous engagements and sensitisation programmes at the grassroots level.