Elon Musk’s DOGE Scraps £84,000 Grant For Massage Parlours In Nigeria
The U.S. Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has terminated an $84,000 (₦130 million) grant previously earmarked for spa and wellness entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
The grant, channelled through the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF), was meant to support a “business incubator spa and wellness entrepreneurs” project in Nigeria.
The termination comes amid the Trump administration’s cost-cutting measures on foreign aid.
On Monday, DOGE scrapped $51 million in USADF funding meant for several African countries. This included $239,738 set aside for pineapple juice marketing in the Republic of Benin, $246,217 for mango drying in Ivory Coast, and $229,296 for organic shea butter marketing in Burkina Faso.
In Senegal, $50,000 meant for dragonfruit farmer training was also cancelled, alongside $99,566 for yoghurt production in Uganda and $48,406 for a WhatsApp marketing chatbot in Kenya.
It remains unclear if the grants were one-time disbursements or part of a continuous funding plan.
DOGE’s move is expected to significantly disrupt USADF’s grassroots entrepreneurship support across Africa.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
