The Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Hon. Jimoh Olawale Saliu, has urged multinational companies and other businesses operating in local communities to give back to their host communities through meaningful Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
Saliu made the call while speaking at the commissioning of the renovated Sari Primary Health Centre, undertaken through a partnership between the Apapa-Iganmu LCDA and 7-UP Bottling Company.
The council Chairman said businesses should see community development as an important part of their responsibilities, noting that their operations and profits are often sustained by the same communities where they operate.
“They should join the government in developing the community. They cannot be taking the profit alone.
“They should give back to the communities that buy their products and use their services. They should return to those communities and do something in return for them,” Saliu said.
He explained that the renovation of the Sari Primary Health Centre was one of the outcomes of his administration’s deliberate effort to engage businesses operating within Apapa-Iganmu and explore their existing CSR programmes for the benefit of residents.
According to him, his administration’s engagement with 7UP began with a stakeholders’ meeting and subsequently produced several collaborative initiatives.
Saliu recalled that the relationship also led to the launch of the “Waste-to-wealth” plastic Buy-Back programme with 7-Up on November 18, 2025.
He said the programme was designed to help clean the environment, protect waterways and provide economic opportunities for residents.
“That was one of the ideas we had in the background, and we developed it as part of the CSR programme of the industrialised area.
“I contacted 7-Up last year. We started with a stakeholders’ meeting, which then led to so many things,” he said.
According to Saliu, his direct engagement with the company was driven by his belief that local government authorities should actively engage businesses and stakeholders within their areas rather than wait for interventions.
He said the approach had produced tangible benefits for the community, including the rehabilitation of the Sari Primary Health Centre.
“I said, ‘I can generate 10 tonnes of plastic for them within one week.’ They said yes, and I did it within one week. We brought even more than they could take.
“That’s the system. That’s the relationship,” he said.
Saliu said the partnership demonstrated what could be achieved when government and the private sector worked together towards community development.
He stressed that companies already had CSR programmes but should ensure that such interventions reached communities closest to their operations.
“It is about them contributing to the developmental programme of the government. They have it as part of their programme; CSR is in their department.
“They should make use of it,” he said.
The council Chairman noted that the renovated Sari Primary Health Centre was part of his administration’s broader commitment to improving healthcare delivery across Apapa-Iganmu.
He said the facility was found in a condition that could no longer inspire confidence when his administration assumed office.
The intervention has provided the centre with a modern solar inverter system, an equipped laboratory and a renovated waiting area.
According to Saliu, the solar inverter system would provide uninterrupted power for medical equipment, vaccine storage and safe deliveries at night, while the laboratory would enable residents to access diagnostic services within the facility.
“This is more than just painting a building. It is about restoring hope, improving health outcomes, and reducing the burden on our secondary health facilities,” he said.
He urged residents to take ownership of the facility and make use of the services provided, including antenatal care, immunisation, family planning and other basic healthcare services.
Speaking at the commissioning, the MD, Chief Executive Officer of 7-Up Bottling Company, Mr Sari el-Khalil, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to community development.
“We are reaffirming and committing to the principle that everything 7-Up Bottling Company does is part of the community, and everything that the community does is part of 7-Up Bottling Company,” he said.
El-Khali described the Sari Primary Health Centre intervention as a significant milestone for the company, saying it was the first time 7-Up had undertaken such a project in partnership with a community to revitalise a clinic.
“This Sari Clinic is very special because it is the first time in our history that we are doing something like this, partnering with the community to revitalise a clinic,” he said.
He said the company went beyond the physical renovation of the facility by providing a laboratory to improve access to diagnostic services.
“Not only are we bringing this clinic back up to professional standards, we are also making sure that we are adding a laboratory to ensure that anyone who needs a test now has the facility to do that test,” El-Khali said.
He said 7-Up’s commitment to Nigeria and its communities was rooted in the company’s long history in the country.
“7-Up Bottling Company has been around since 1960, October 1, 1960, the same day Nigeria raised its flag high and claimed independence.
“So, as Nigeria celebrates its 66th birthday, 7-Up will do the same by celebrating its 66th birthday. And 66 years on, we continue to invest in the community.”
El-Khalil also disclosed that his family would mark 100 years in Nigeria this year, following his grandfather’s arrival in the country in 1926.
“My grandfather landed on the shores of Nigeria in 1926. So, this year, the el-Khalil family, from my grandfather to my father to myself, will mark 100 years in Nigeria.
“And this goes to show you what we started to do from my grandfather’s days to my father’s days. Now, I have the responsibility on my shoulders to make sure I do more,” he said.
The 7-Up Chief Executive said sustainable community development required collective effort, stressing that the Sari PHC project was made possible through teamwork.
“This community is here to take care of you for the rest of your life. It is a very special project that I am honoured to be here for, honoured to have you with us today as we welcome it,” he said.
He added: “Because not one man can do this alone, and not one woman can do it alone.”
