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Tag: Patjeda Group

  • Patjeda Group advocates strategic CSR for sustainable development

    Patjeda Group advocates strategic CSR for sustainable development

    The Group Managing Director of Patjeda Group, Chief (Mrs) Joy Ehiagwina Joy Patrick, has called for a strategic, structured and value-driven approach to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a tool for driving sustainable national development in Nigeria.

    She made the call during a policy dialogue on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable National Development in Nigeria, held in Lagos, stressing that CSR must go beyond charity and token gestures to become a people-centred development instrument that complements government efforts.

    Ejedawe said Nigeria’s growing socio-economic challenges, including youth unemployment, education gaps, food insecurity and infrastructure deficits, require stronger collaboration between government, the private sector and civil society.

    “CSR should not be seen as charity, but as a structured, impact-driven development tool capable of strengthening communities, de-risking business environments and building long-term social capital,” she said.

    She explained that Patjeda Group, a Nigerian-owned conglomerate with interests in transportation and logistics, hospitality, oil and gas, security support services, retail, agriculture and education, has institutionalised its CSR programmes through the Patrick Ejedawe Empowerment Foundation and the Heart of Gold Support & Care Initiative.

    According to her, the company’s CSR focus areas include entrepreneurship development, education support, food security and community infrastructure.

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    She disclosed that over the past two years, no fewer than 50 individuals have been empowered to start and grow small businesses, while scholarships and educational assistance have been provided to economically disadvantaged students.

    Ejedawe added that the Group’s Food Bank Programme supports vulnerable households, while its intervention on the Uromi axis of the Agbor–Auchi Expressway recently improved road conditions and boosted economic activities in the area.

    She further announced that the company plans to double its CSR interventions in 2026, including expanding its Back2School initiative to reach 500 pupils, empowering at least 50 beneficiaries under the Empower to Bloom programme, and sustaining its Feed the Widow initiative in Ikeja.

    Ejedawe urged corporate organisations to adopt long-term CSR models aligned with national priorities, while calling on government to provide enabling policies and incentives that encourage sustainable private sector participation in social development.

    She said, “At Patjeda Group, success is not measured solely by profit, but by lives empowered, communities strengthened and opportunities created.”

  • Patjeda Group boss urges stronger CSR to stem youth migration

    Patjeda Group boss urges stronger CSR to stem youth migration

    …set to scale up back-to-school initiative’s scope

    Chief Ehiagwina Patrick, Group Managing Director of Patjeda Group, has said effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) by private sector organisations could help reduce the growing migration of Nigerian youths in search of better opportunities abroad.

    Speaking on Wednesday at a policy dialogue on Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainable Development in Nigeria, Patrick called on companies to strengthen their CSR initiatives, particularly in education, security, and skills development.

    The event, organised by PATJEDA Group, focused on how structured social investments can support sustainable national growth.

    Patrick said enhanced CSR efforts could create jobs, build youth confidence, and encourage young Nigerians to pursue opportunities within the country. She stressed that CSR should move beyond philanthropy and be strategically aligned with sustainable development goals to deliver long-term impact.

    She urged corporate organisations to adopt structured and long-term CSR frameworks, align social investments with national priorities, and prioritise measurable impact over publicity.

    Patrick also called for stronger collaboration between the private sector, government, and civil society groups to design programmes that empower youths and restore confidence in Nigeria’s economic prospects.

    Many young Nigerians, she noted, leave the country due to limited access to education, employment, skills development, and economic empowerment, adding that deliberate and well-targeted CSR programmes could help address these challenges.

    “There are children who have embraced hooliganism and drug abuse due to a lack of support to attend school or develop skills; therefore, it is necessary for companies to prioritise CSR for national development.

    “This led PATJEDA to develop the back-to-school initiative, which empowered no fewer than 300 pupils in 2025, and we look forward to empowering 500 pupils in 2026.

    “This will be extended to Anifowose Primary School in Ikeja, Ikoyi-Ekiti community in Ekiti State, and other strategic locations.

    “Our educational CSR focuses on scholarships, bursaries, school support initiatives, and assistance from primary to tertiary levels. We will also invest in our “Feed the Widows Initiative in Ikeja,” she said.

    Patrick said it had become imperative to view CSR as a structured, value-driven tool for development and not as charity.

    According to her, this is necessary at a time when Nigeria is grappling with complex socio-economic challenges, ranging from youth unemployment, gaps in access to education, infrastructure deficits, and food insecurity.

    She said, “CSR must evolve from token gestures and isolated donations into strategic, sustainable, and people-centred interventions that align with national development priorities and measurable outcomes.

    “CSR, when properly designed, strengthens communities, de-risks environments, and builds long-term social capital.

    “To ensure sustainability, accountability, and focus, Patjeda Group’s CSR initiatives are driven through two dedicated foundations: Patrick Ejedawe Empowerment Foundation and Heart of Gold Support & Care Initiative.

    “These foundations operate as non-commercial, impact-focused platforms, allowing CSR activities to be community-responsive rather than publicity-driven.

    “In December, Patjeda Group intervened in making the Uromi axis of the Agbor–Auchi expressway, a federal road in dire need of palliative measures, motorable. This improved economic activity along the corridor.”

    Mr John Ighodalo, Executive Director of Corporate Services and Finance, Patjeda Group, in his opening remarks, urged corporate organisations to focus on policy alignment, scalability, and transparency to ensure that CSR initiatives become truly impactful.

    “In Patjeda Group, we view and treat CSR as a social capital expenditure and not as an administrative expense.”

    Also, the Chairman of Ikeja Local Government, Mr Akeem Dauda, appreciated the company for its lasting impact on the community, describing it as the top contributor to local development.

    Dauda acknowledged Patjeda’s contributions, particularly in the areas of security and education.

    He noted that, given the significant challenges facing the council, he hopes for further support from the group to extend its assistance.

    Meanwhile, Oba Ogundana Akinwande, Onikoyi of Ikoyi-Ekiti, lauded the significant impact of Patjeda’s CSR initiatives, noting that he had personally benefited from them both as a retired police officer and as a traditional ruler.

    Patjeda Group is a Nigerian-owned conglomerate with diversified interests spanning: Transportation and Logistics, Hospitality and Tourism, Oil and Gas, Security Support Services, Courier and Integrated Services, Retail, Agriculture, Education, and Business Solutions.

    Since its incorporation in 2007, the group has expanded operations across Lagos, Aba, Abuja, Benin, Uromi, Port Harcourt, Owerri, Enugu, and Kaduna, contributing to employment generation, service delivery, and regional economic inclusion.