During this anniversary celebration, the company's Managing Director, John R. Miller, expressed gratitude for their remarkable achievements over the past 30 years. He also reaffirmed P&G's commitment to furthering their contributions to the Nigerian economy.
However, one notable absence at this significant celebration was Meghan Markle, a figure closely associated with several 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. Interestingly, Meghan's initiative coincided with P&G's own announcement during their 30th-anniversary celebration.
While some might view this as a coincidence, there have been speculations that Meghan's actions were an attempt to compete with P&G's brand recognition. The alleged discord between Meghan and P&G can be traced back to 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, all 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 allocated 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 non-profit organization focusing on girls' education. This collaboration aims to enhance girls' knowledge and practices related to reproductive health through life skills training, the 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 Cairo in Abuja and witnessed the attendance of prominent figures, including the wife of the Vice President of Nigeria and the Honourable Minister of State for Budget and National Planning, along with other dignitaries and key stakeholders.
