A Nigerian real estate and property development company, Octo5 Holdings has pledged to empower 300 families in its host community in Lafiaji, in Lagos State to help them manage the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company also said it was working with its partners to donate a 100-bed isolation facility to the Lagos State government to help in the fight against the virus.
A statement issued on Tuesday by Babajide Odusolu, CEO Octo5 Holdings, said that the company also planned to empower small businesses. According to him, the money originally appropriated for commercial advertising has now been re-budgeted for COVID-19 sensitisation.
“The world changed in December 2019. Unfortunately, we did not notice until it was almost too late. Suddenly, social distancing, self-isolation and a work-from-home culture have become the new normal.
“Now, countries, businesses and individuals are being forced to make tough choices to handle the realities of a world battling the COVID-19 pandemic,” Odusolu said.
“Here in Nigeria, safety precautions and restrictions put in place to curb the spread of the virus have exposed the brutal limitations of our social infrastructure and compelled us to finally confront the need to be our neighbour’s keeper and address the needs of the most vulnerable among us,” he further said.
According to him, “Like all other businesses, COVID-19 has disrupted our workflow at Octo5 Holdings and all our sites have been compelled to shut down.
“However, this crisis has challenged us to live by our creed that the community is at the core of our being.
“For that reason, about a month ago, we decided to devote our entire commercial advertising budget towards a public awareness campaign to teach Nigerians how to be safety-conscious and help stop the spread of COVID-19.
“In addition, we supported the Young Presidents’ Organisation’s (YPO) initiative to build an isolation centre for the use of the Lagos State Ministry of Health at the Landmark Centre Lekki.”
Odusolu further said: “Upon completion, this isolation centre will accommodate 100 beds for positive and asymptomatic cases.
“We are also providing food items to 300 families in Lafiaji Village; the host community of our Ocean Bay Estate in Lekki, Lagos State.”
He said that the moves by the company were stop-gap measures, having taken cognizance of the resulting economic losses when the pandemic eventually abates.
According to him, the economic losses will demand a total review of work culture, lifestyle and career plans.
“We foresee that Nigerians, especially millennials, will require economic support to prepare them for a post-Covid-19 world.
“It is why we are launching a micro-business support initiative to provide seed capital to Nigerian millenials who meet our selection criteria to weather the realities of a post-COVID-19 world.
“We hope this will kick-start a conversation which will lead other businesses to support SMEs which would have been affected by this crisis.”
He further said: “Our vision is simple – building wholesome communities that are sustainable and ensuring that the majority of Nigerians are enabled to live freely and fully.
“That vision starts with staying safe. We are doing our part and hope you will #TakeResponsibility and do yours too as you stay safe, stay home and help stop the spread of COVID-19.”
Octo5 Holdings is a Nigerian real estate and property development company that is a prime source for innovative development and construction solutions designed to suit the needs of the Nigerian market.
Founded over 20 years ago as Legacy Holdings Limited, Octo5 is one of Nigeria’s pioneer developers of gated communities especially on the Lekki peninsular; with developments such as the Ocean Bay Estate and Heritage Place Estate.
