During the anniversary celebration, the Managing Director of the company, John R. Moller, expressed his appreciation for the remarkable achievements over the past 30 years and reaffirmed P&G's commitment to furthering their contributions to the Nigerian economy.
However, noticeably absent from this significant celebration was Meghan Markle, a figure closely associated with many P&G campaigns in the past. Instead of attending the event, Meghan made an announcement regarding a charitable project.
She pledged to generously donate backpacks filled with essential school supplies and feminine hygiene products to underprivileged Nigerian girls. This initiative by Meghan coincided with P&G's own announcement during their 30th-anniversary celebration.
While it might be seen as a coincidence, some have speculated that Meghan's actions were an attempt to compete with P&G's brand recognition. The alleged discord between Meghan and P&G stems from their joint involvement in a charity campaign for African children back in 2017.
During this campaign, Meghan's contribution was perceived as minimal, as she appeared at the event empty-handed, accompanied by her own stylist and makeup team. In contrast, P&G provided substantial donations to support underprivileged children. Critics argue that the event served as a PR opportunity for Meghan, complete with cameras and free publicity, while making use of disadvantaged children to promote her image.
In one instance, Meghan posed for photos while purportedly giving gifts to African children in a poverty-stricken village, even though the gift bags were primarily sponsored by P&G. Furthermore, funds earmarked for constructing a clean water system in the same village were entirely covered by P&G.
As part of their 30th-anniversary activities, P&G announced a partnership with Mercy Corps, an international nonprofit organization, focusing on their "Always Keeping Girls in School" (AKGIS) program.
This collaboration aims to enhance girls' knowledge and practices related to reproductive health through life skills training, provision of emergency sanitary kits, and mobilization of stakeholder support for menstrual hygiene management in schools. P&G sees this initiative as an opportunity to positively impact the lives of numerous girls by promoting proper menstrual hygiene management practices within educational institutions.
The anniversary celebration took place at Junior Secondary School Caro in Abuja and witnessed the attendance of prominent figures, including the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria and the Honorable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, along with other dignitaries and key stakeholders.
