As Nigeria marks International Youth Day 2026 alongside the rest of the world, organizers of the Geneith Health Competition (GHC) are calling on the country’s young people to take a more active role in the push to eliminate malaria.
The call was made by the GHC initiator and Managing Director of CEOAFRICA, Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, and the Chairman of Geneith Pharmaceuticals Limited, Chief Emmanuel Umenwa, who congratulated Nigerian youths and urged students across the country to actively participate in the campaign for a malaria-free Nigeria.
Their call ties into this year’s International Youth Day theme, “Different Contexts, Common Aspirations,” which highlights the shared aspirations of young people despite differences in their social, economic and geographical backgrounds.
The initiative received a boost with the formal participation of Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti, and Sahlan College of Health Science and Technology, Jos, ahead of the October 30 registration deadline.
Ilobanafor argued that regardless of background, Nigerian youths share common goals i.e good health, quality education, real participation in society, and a prosperous future , and that malaria continues to stand in the way of those goals.
He appealed to additional universities, polytechnics, and colleges of education to bring their students into the competition, calling it a chance for young people to compete for scholarships, sharpen leadership abilities, and get involved in public health advocacy.
He also called for unity across regional, political, and ideological divides in tackling malaria, arguing that arming youth with health knowledge and educational access is key to a healthier, more prosperous nation.
At EKSU, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Joseph Babatola Ayodele gave the go-ahead for student participation and urged undergraduates to vie for top honors, while Sahlan College similarly pledged its support for the initiative.
Hadizat Giwa