Flour Mills of Nigeria beefs up government’s efforts against Covid-19 with US$2.8m

NIGERIA – Flour Mills of Nigeria (FMN), one of Nigeria’s leading food business and agro-allied groups, has matched forward with its biggest strength to the table to fight the COVID-19 virus in the country.

The company has strengthened the fight to curtail the spread of the pandemic by redeeming US$2.8 million pledge to the Nigerian Private Sector Coalition Against COVID-19 (CACOVID).

FMN revealed that it is procuring US$1.5 million worth of medical supplies, which will rapidly beef up the Nigerian COVID-19 testing capability.

The medical supplies being facilitated are 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.

The procurement also includes 35,000 laboratory-based testing capacity 100/day field-testing capacity and 75 Ventilators to be distributed through the NCDC.

According to a statement issued by the company, the medical supplies are scheduled to arrive in Nigeria, starting from 18th April through to 27,2020.

These supplies procured from Dubai, United States, Canada, Greece and China will be delivered to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

The company has also commenced deployment of a US$840,000 food relief packages in 12 states across the Nation to vulnerable communities hit by the National lockdown.

Flour Mills of Nigeria says that mandated by its unwavering commitment, sense of duty to Nigeria spanning the past 60 years, it has activated an action plan to support the government in fight against the coronavirus.

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 company says.

In a statement by the Group Chief Operating Officer, Boye Olusanya to kick off the FMN COVID-19 response action the company 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.”