ProVeg International has opened a new office in Nigeria with the intent to spread plant-based food to the country’s “markets, streets, schools, and hospitals.”
Image courtesy of ProVeg International
Situated in Lagos, ProVeg Nigeria marks the tenth country to which the nonprofit has expanded since its inception in 2017 – another step in a goal of “reducing the global consumption of animals by 50% by 2040.” The office will begin its efforts by bringing vegan versions of Nigerian food to the people, with stands set to open in markets and schools.
Hakeem Jimo, vegan restaurateur and director of ProVeg Nigeria, is acutely aware of the prediction that Nigeria’s consumption of animal products will rise significantly alongside a spike in population; he aims to counteract this with a wave of plant-based food and awareness for the sake of animals, people, and the environment.
“You can make all the typical Nigerian food … in a mouth-watering plant-based style,” says chef and program manager Bola Adeyanju in a statement. She, and much of the Nigerian team, had already been conducting food awareness and outreach prior to ProVeg’s involvement. With the new support, they plan to distribute 50,000 high-protein, plant-based food samples in their first campaign.
According to Marybeth Ubanwa, campaign and communications manager for ProVeg Nigeria, “the impact we have in Lagos, and in Nigeria, can easily be extended across the continent, and to lovers of African cuisine worldwide.”
