British nonprofit aims to collect £30,000 to support emergency care projects in Nigeria

NaijAid UK, a non-governmental organisation, has kicked off its annual 250,000 Steps Challenge, aiming to raise £30,000 for life-saving healthcare initiatives in Nigeria, with participants across the UK expected to walk 250,000 steps throughout July to generate funds for healthcare projects.

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The charity, based in the UK, announced this in a statement released on Friday, outlining its plans to utilise the campaign's proceeds to support first aid training, healthcare professional development, and the donation of essential medical equipment to healthcare facilities across Nigeria.

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The initiative follows the success of NaijAid UK's 2025 campaign, which funded first aid training for various communities, students, and healthcare professionals, and facilitated donations of medical supplies to institutions such as the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and Gbagada General Hospital.

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This year's campaign aims to train more university students and first responders in physical and mental health first aid, expand advanced life support training for healthcare professionals, and transport donated medical equipment from the UK to Nigeria, among other objectives.

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The campaign will also support the University of Ilorin's winning ACT Initiative, providing Basic First Aid training for people with speech and hearing impairments, promoting greater inclusion for persons with disabilities, scheduled to take place on July 17 and 18, 2026.

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Dr Lanre-Nehan Babalola, the Founder of NaijAid UK, highlighted the impact of collective action in improving healthcare delivery, stating that the 250,000 Steps Challenge demonstrates the power of people coming together for a common purpose.

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Babalola noted that last year's campaign enabled the organisation to train communities, strengthen healthcare professionals' skills, and donate vital medical equipment to hospitals in Nigeria, and expressed optimism that this year's campaign will allow them to reach even more people with life-saving knowledge and resources.

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The charity is encouraging participants to share videos and screenshots of their step counts to encourage wider participation, and is calling on the public, corporate organisations, and community groups to support the initiative by joining the challenge or making donations.

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NaijAid UK, which operates in Nigeria as HealthAid Charity, has impacted over 200,000 lives through free medical outreaches over the past eight years, and has donated more than 70 hospital beds and other medical equipment to government-owned hospitals across the country.

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The organisation also supports the professional development of healthcare workers through specialised training programmes, further contributing to its mission of improving healthcare delivery in Nigeria.