Tony Elumelu Donates N25 Billion to ‘Produce for Lagos’ Initiative

The Chairman of Heirs Holdings and United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu, has made a significant commitment to support the Lagos State Government’s ‘Produce for Lagos’ programme, pledging N25 billion towards the initiative. This contribution is the largest single support from the private sector to the programme, which aims to tackle food insecurity and create jobs for young people.

The ‘Produce for Lagos’ programme is a N500 billion agricultural initiative designed to ensure long-term access to affordable and nutritious food across the state. Elumelu emphasized the importance of boosting agriculture to address food supply challenges and curb rising unemployment among young people.

“An hungry person is an angry person. We have a lot of unemployment in our country. Agriculture and the food system are key to addressing this issue,” Elumelu stated. “We believe that joblessness is a major deterrent for our young people. They shouldn’t be idle—we have arable land that can be cultivated. So, all of us must work together to make this vision a reality. You’ve done your part, and private capital must now play its role.”

Elumelu praised the Lagos State Government for being supportive of the private sector and expressed his commitment to working together to tackle joblessness among youth. “This is a very critical initiative that all of us should proudly associate with. What you and your team are doing here, and what other governors are doing in their respective states, will collectively help tackle the problem of joblessness among our youth in the coming years.”

The Tony Elumelu Foundation, Transcorp Group, Heirs Holdings, and UBA will continue to support the initiatives of the Lagos State Government. Elumelu recalled the foundation’s previous support for Lagos State during the COVID-19 pandemic, where they contributed N1 billion. “If you recall, during COVID-19, we supported Lagos State first with N1 billion. Lagos is home to all of us. And indeed, it’s not just about being told to support; it’s about understanding the significance of the initiative. So whatever Your Excellency wants us to do—as part of Better Back Africa—we are ready.”