Optimus Bank has launched a blood donation campaign in Lagos as part of efforts to support critical healthcare needs and encourage more Nigerians to embrace voluntary blood donation.
The initiative, held under the bank’s corporate social responsibility platform, Impact Starts With Us, and themed “GIVE BLOOD. GIVE LIFE.”, brought together employees, stakeholders and members of the community to contribute to efforts aimed at improving access to safe blood for patients in need.
The bank said the campaign reflects its belief that its role extends beyond the provision of financial services, noting that the wellbeing of communities is closely connected to sustainable economic development.
The importance of the initiative is underscored by the persistent demand for blood in Nigeria, where patients requiring emergency treatment, surgery and ongoing medical care often depend on transfusions.
Women experiencing complications during childbirth, accident victims, children suffering from severe anaemia, people living with sickle cell disorder, cancer patients and surgical patients are among those who may require blood.
The World Health Organisation estimates that Nigeria needs between 1.8 million and two million units of blood annually. However, only 371,827 units were collected in 2024, highlighting the gap between demand and available supply.
The situation is particularly significant in maternal healthcare, with postpartum haemorrhage accounting for an estimated 23 to 30 per cent of maternal deaths in Nigeria.
Against this backdrop, Optimus Bank said the blood drive was designed not only to support immediate blood collection but also to promote a culture of regular voluntary donation among Nigerians.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Optimus Bank, Dr Ademola Odeyemi, said the initiative was part of the institution’s broader commitment to creating social value.
“At Optimus Bank, we believe our responsibility goes beyond banking. The strength of any economy is connected to the wellbeing of its people, and we are committed to using our platform to create meaningful impact in the communities we serve,” he said.
Odeyemi added that the campaign was intended to demonstrate how individual acts of generosity could have a direct impact on the lives of others.
“Through this initiative, we are encouraging Nigerians to give something that can give another person a second chance at life. For us, this is what Impact Starts With Us represents: taking action today that creates meaningful value for people, communities and the future we are building together,” he said.
The Head of Corporate Communications at Optimus Bank, Morolake Philip-Ladipo, said the campaign was ultimately about improving the chances of patients who urgently require blood.
“This initiative is ultimately about people. Behind every unit of blood is the possibility of helping a mother, a child, an accident victim, or a patient receive the care they urgently need,” she said.
“With GIVE BLOOD. GIVE LIFE, we want to remind Nigerians that impact does not always begin with something big. Sometimes, it begins with the simple decision to give.”
To ensure that the exercise complied with appropriate medical and safety requirements, the bank conducted the blood drive with technical support from the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
The Head of the department, Prof Titilope Adeyemo, emphasised the importance of voluntary donation in maintaining an adequate blood supply for hospitals.
“A safe and reliable blood supply is critical to saving lives. Regular voluntary blood donation helps ensure that blood is available for emergencies, childbirth, surgery and patients who require ongoing transfusion support,” Adeyemo said.
The blood drive forms part of Optimus Bank’s wider Impact Starts With Us programme, through which the financial institution said it supports initiatives spanning healthcare, education, economic empowerment, environmental sustainability and community development.
According to the bank, the programme is built around the principle that stronger and healthier communities are better positioned to learn, work, build businesses, support families and contribute to economic growth.
The institution said its social-impact efforts therefore form part of its broader ambition to create opportunities while contributing to a more inclusive and sustainable society.
As Nigeria continues to grapple with the challenge of ensuring adequate access to essential healthcare services, initiatives aimed at increasing voluntary blood donation remain important to hospitals and patients who depend on transfusions.
For Optimus Bank, the Lagos blood drive represents another effort to translate its corporate social responsibility commitments into practical community intervention, while encouraging individuals to recognise the potentially life-saving value of blood donation.
The bank urged Nigerians to embrace voluntary blood donation, stressing that a single donation can provide vital support to someone facing a medical emergency and contribute to a stronger and more reliable blood supply.