More than 200 students across Nigeria have already pre-registered for the Geneith Health Competition (GHC), a youth-driven initiative officially flagged off in Abuja to combat malaria through advocacy, innovation, and community action.
The competition, sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, targets students in junior and senior secondary schools as well as tertiary institutions, with the goal of making young Nigerians central figures in malaria prevention efforts.
The campaign is supported by leading student associations nationwide.
At a joint press conference in Abuja, the National President of the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), Comrade Eegunjobi Oluwaseun, called on the government to intensify its commitment to the malaria fight.
“This fight cannot be won without strong and sustained government leadership,” he said.
“Let us double our efforts in funding, policy, and education to push malaria out of our campuses and our nation.”
He urged students to actively participate in the competition as a means of becoming part of the solution.
Echoing this sentiment, the President of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), Josiah Peter Oche Gonus, described students as the heartbeat of the campaign.
“This competition is a platform for young minds to use creativity and knowledge to raise awareness and save lives,” he stated.
“Let this ignite your passion for health advocacy.”
The Senate President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, added that the initiative goes beyond awareness creation.
“This initiative instills health consciousness and promotes preventive care,” he said.
“It empowers students to take charge of their health and become future leaders.”
He also highlighted the opportunities for mentorship, innovation, and youth-led solutions, urging students from polytechnics and other institutions to engage actively.
Representing the competition’s sponsor, Mr Umenwa Emmanuel, Chairman of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, the firm’s Assistant General Manager of Sales and Marketing, Mr Abimbola Bowoto, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to health innovation and youth empowerment.
“The Geneith Health Competition is a catalyst for collaboration. It empowers students to become advocates and change-makers in malaria prevention. Every idea and action matters,” he said.
Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, the project lead and CEO of CEOAFRICA, described the GHC as one of Africa’s largest youth-focused malaria campaigns.
He explained that the competition aligns with global health goals and aims to be a launchpad for student-led public health innovation.
“This is the first of its kind. Gone are the days when we waited for the government. Nigerian students are now taking the lead in changing the narrative,” he declared.
According to Ilobanafor, the organisers have committed ₦1 billion to the initiative, comprising ₦400 million in cash prizes and ₦600 million in scholarships, gifts, and other rewards.
The Nigerian government has officially endorsed the Geneith Health Competition as a critical platform for youth-led malaria prevention, positioning it as a pivotal element in Nigeria’s national public health strategy.