In response to soaring food prices, Nigerian tech startup Egoras has unveiled a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative designed to provide low-cost rice to communities in need. The initiative, launched over the weekend, aims to ease financial pressures on households hit hardest by the rising cost of living and food inflation, especially with food inflation currently above 30%, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.
Ugoji Harry, CEO of Egoras, explained that the CSR program seeks to make staple foods more accessible. “The current economic situation has placed extreme financial strain on families. By offering rice at less than half the typical market price, we aim to support those in urgent need,” he said. Through this initiative, a 50kg bag of rice is available for N45,000—significantly less than the market price of N110,000—in key Nigerian cities including Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt.
To facilitate purchases, Egoras has introduced a user-friendly ordering system via their Telegram mini app, Egomartbot, allowing customers to seamlessly order rice at the discounted rate. The program’s goal is to empower families, not resellers, by implementing a strict “one bag per customer” policy. Harry emphasized that this policy will be strictly enforced at distribution points to prevent potential resellers from exploiting the reduced prices.
“We’re focused on making rice affordable for individual families, not for those who might resell it at a profit,” Harry stated. The Egoras team will actively monitor sales at each distribution point in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt to ensure compliance with the one-bag policy.
Highlighting the broader context, Harry said, “This initiative may seem small, but each bag sold at this price means a family can meet basic needs amidst difficult economic times.” With Nigeria’s food insecurity crisis continuing, Egoras hopes this CSR effort will provide critical relief for vulnerable communities while raising awareness of the impact technology can have in addressing hunger and poverty.
