By Niran Odufayo
In a landmark push to combat malaria through youth-led innovation and nationwide advocacy, student leaders across Nigeria have mobilized under the Geneith Health Competition (GHC) — a high-impact initiative that is fast becoming one of Africa’s largest student-driven public health movements.
The GHC, launched in Abuja and organized by CEOAfrica with sponsorship from Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, is a comprehensive nationwide competition targeting students in secondary schools, polytechnics, colleges of education, and universities. The campaign promotes malaria awareness, research, and community-based intervention strategies, with the goal of eradicating the disease from campuses and communities.
Chief Emmanuel Umenwa, Chairman of Geneith Pharmaceuticals, described the initiative as “a groundbreaking platform that empowers students to raise awareness and develop real-world solutions to malaria.” Addressing student leaders during the official flag-off, Umenwa emphasized the urgency of youth involvement in Nigeria’s malaria fight. “Every idea and action matters. Together, we can build a healthier, malaria-free Nigeria,” he said, calling for stronger collaboration between government, private sector, and civil society.
Meanwhile, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, Project Lead for the Geneith Health Competition, described the initiative as one of the largest youth-focused malaria campaigns in Africa. He emphasized its alignment with global health goals and its potential to catalyze student-led innovation in public health. “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.
Cletus further revealed that the organizers have committed ₦1 billion to the competition, including ₦400 million in cash prizes and ₦600 million in gifts, scholarships, and other incentives to reward impactful ideas and leadership in malaria advocacy.
The nationwide campaign has received strong institutional backing. On May 2, 2025, the Federal Government, in collaboration with Geneith Pharmaceuticals, officially unveiled the competition, calling on students at all levels to develop context-sensitive solutions through advocacy, research, and community outreach. Link to announcement
Student leaders from across Nigeria’s tertiary institutions have also lent their voices to the movement. At the GHC joint press conference held in Asokoro, Abuja, Amb. Comr. Eegunjobi Samuel Oluwaseun, President of the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), spoke on behalf of the joint leadership of NANCES, NAUS, and NAPS, urging for united action. “Today, we rise not only to speak against malaria but to act against it,” he said, noting the severe toll the disease takes on students’ health, academic outcomes, and national productivity.
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Ministry of Health for their ongoing reforms in the health sector, and thanked the competition’s supporters — particularly CEOAfrica, Geneith Pharmaceuticals, and Costal Forte Softgel — for enabling impactful outreach in campuses and communities.
Comr. Oyewumi Festus Ayomide, President of the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), called the initiative a timely intervention that “empowers students with life-saving health education, encourages innovation, and instills a culture of preventive healthcare.”
Comr. Josiah Peter Oche, National President of the National Association of University Students (NAUS), described malaria as a public health crisis that demands student-led solutions. “Through education and leadership, we can change the narrative. This platform allows students to inspire communities and lead transformative change,” he said.
The Geneith Health Competition is already making waves as a youth-led health innovation movement. As it continues to grow, organizers are urging increased support from government agencies, NGOs, and the private sector to ensure lasting impact.
“This is our collective responsibility,” Eegunjobi said. “Let us unite to make malaria a disease of the past.”