The Knights of St. Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria, Lagos Metropolitan Council, said it is set to launch a N2 billion Endowment Fund aimed at establishing a sustainable financial foundation for its charitable activities and support for the Catholic Church.
The initiative was announced during a visit by a delegation of KSM Lagos Metro, led by the Metropolitan Grand Knight, Sir Nosa Ehigiator, to the Catholic Archbishop of Lagos, Most Rev. (Dr.) Alfred Adewale Martins, at the Lagos Archdiocesan Chancery on Monday, August 30, 2026.
The Endowment Fund will be formally launched on September 26, 2026, at St. Leo Catholic Church, Ikeja.
Welcoming the initiative, Archbishop Martins described it as “a welcome development” for both KSM and the Church, pledging to provide whatever support he could to ensure its success.
The Archbishop noted that several established Churches had sustained their activities partly through investments, adding that the Archdiocese of Lagos was also considering similar initiatives through its Finance Council.
“It’s the way to go really,” Archbishop Martins said.
Explaining the rationale behind the fund, Ehigiator said KSM could no longer depend indefinitely on members’ contributions to finance its growing charitable responsibilities, particularly in the face of Nigeria’s economic challenges.
He noted that excessive reliance on dues and levies could also discourage younger people from joining the organisation.
According to him, the Endowment Fund would operate as a permanent pool of invested capital, with the principal preserved and prudently invested, while the income generated would be used to finance approved charitable programmes.
The N2 billion target, he said, was designed to provide KSM Lagos Metro with a dependable and lasting financial base for its humanitarian mission.
Ehigiator disclosed that the initiative was being pursued alongside the Endowment Fund concept at the Supreme level of KSM Nigeria, thereby creating a sustainability framework at both the metropolitan and national levels.
He linked the initiative to the increasing humanitarian needs in society, explaining that KSM’s former Feed the Hungry programme had evolved into Helping Hands as the number of people requiring assistance continued to grow.
“The population of the needy is growing,” he said, adding that the organisation wanted to increase its capacity to assist people with school fees, skills acquisition and other forms of intervention, while also strengthening its support for the Church.
The Endowment Fund’s priority areas include healthcare, education, support for widows and orphans, prison apostolate, legal aid and social justice, assistance to victims of violence and crime, and internal welfare.
The meeting also featured discussions on prison decongestion and the reintegration of released inmates into society.
Ehigiator disclosed that about 1,600 prisoners in Lagos, Abeokuta and Ijebu-Ode were reportedly awaiting release, highlighting the financial, social and reintegration challenges associated with their return to society.
Responding, Archbishop Martins said the Archdiocese had for years considered providing temporary accommodation and support for released prisoners while they awaited resettlement with their families.
He also advocated alternatives to imprisonment, including community service, while calling for sustained advocacy to address overcrowding in correctional facilities.
During the visit, Ehigiator presented the KSM Lagos Metro Endowment Fund Donor Information Brochure to Archbishop Martins and sought his prayers, blessing and support for the initiative.
He also formally invited the Archbishop to the September 26 launch.
The Endowment Fund is structured to promote transparency and accountability through a Board of Trustees, Investment Committee, independent custodian, licensed fund managers, Grants and Programmes Committee, Finance and Audit Committee, and external auditors.
The initiative represents a strategic shift by KSM Lagos Metro from short-term fundraising towards long-term financial sustainability, with the objective of ensuring that its charitable service to the Church and wider society remains viable for generations.
The vision of the initiative is captured in its slogan: “Investing Today. Sustaining the Mission. Empowering Generations.”
Other members of the delegation were Worthy Brother Emmanuel Dumuje, Chairman, Endowment Fund Committee; Sir Michael Olofinlade, Metro Secretary, KSM Lagos Metro; Lady Efe Ehikhuemen, Provost 1, Ladies of St. Mulumba (LSM), Lagos Metro, who represented the Metro President, Lady Martha Ilukpekhai; Lady Bernadette Ojo, Worthy Provost 3; and Lady Neta Nwosu, Chairperson, KSM Lagos Metro Endowment Publicity, Media & Communications Subcommittee.
