₦500m Commitment: First Lady Launches National Food Bank To Fight Child Malnutrition
Princess-Ekwi Ajide
In a country where millions of children still battle hunger daily, Nigeria has taken a bold step towards rewriting that narrative.
Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Community Food Bank Trust Fund, committing a personal donation of ₦500 million to tackle malnutrition and food insecurity across vulnerable communities.
The initiative, unveiled at the State House in Abuja, is designed to provide sustainable access to nutritious food for children under 16, while strengthening community-based nutrition systems nationwide.
Mrs Tinubu described child malnutrition as a pressing national concern, warning that failure to act threatens the health, growth, and future potential of millions of Nigerian children.
She said the programme aligns with the food security agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and aims to restore food equity across communities.
“This is not just an intervention, it is a commitment to the future of our children,” she noted, urging Nigerians, corporate bodies, and development partners to support the initiative.
The programme, developed in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, and the Bank of Agriculture, will operate through a transparent trust fund governed by a newly inaugurated Board of Trustees.
Coordinating Minister of Health, Muhammad Ali Pate, described the launch as timely, noting that it complements ongoing health sector reforms aimed at improving primary healthcare and social protection.
The initiative has already attracted significant backing, including ₦20 billion from the Dangote Foundation and ₦10 billion from NNPC Ltd, alongside a ₦17 billion federal government contribution.
Rollout is expected to begin across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones between April and June 2026, with full nationwide implementation covering all 774 local government areas by December.
As donations continue to pour in, the success of the programme may well depend on sustained transparency and collective national commitment.
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