Govs, Dangote Commit N66bn to Oluremi Tinubu’s Food Bank

The National Community Food Bank Programme has secured pledges exceeding N66bn following its launch and inauguration of the Board of Trustees at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

 

Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate, disclosed this during his keynote address at the event hosted by the First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu.

 

The Aliko Dangote Foundation led private sector contributions with a N20bn in-kind commitment spread over five years, while the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited pledged N10bn within the same period. The Emeka Offor Foundation donated N500m upfront, alongside $500,000 (about N750m) contributed by anonymous donors.

 

Pate also revealed that President Bola Tinubu approved a N17bn intervention through the Social Action Fund to support the initiative.

 

According to him, if all 36 state governors contribute the proposed N500m each, an additional N18bn would be realised, pushing the total funding potential beyond N66bn.

 

“We’ve pleaded with their excellencies, the executive governors of our 36 states, to match what the Federal Government is putting on the table. The spending will be local, in wards and local governments,” Pate said.

 

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, assured that governors would consider the proposal for counterpart funding.

 

“The NGF stands ready to work closely with the Federal Government. I’ll confer with my colleagues… we’ll present a counterpart fund that aligns with what the Federal Government is donating,” he said.

 

Managing Director of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, said the N20bn commitment would focus on providing fortified and nutritious food products, while urging broader private sector participation.

 

Similarly, NNPC Limited, through its representative Sofia Mbakwe, described its N10bn pledge as support for a “purposeful leadership initiative.”

 

The programme is designed to establish community-based food banks across all local government areas, linked to primary healthcare centres and supported by the Bank of Agriculture.

 

It targets malnourished children under six, pregnant and nursing mothers, and vulnerable households through a voucher-based system for accessing locally sourced food.

 

Pate noted that the initiative comes at a critical time, as Nigeria grapples with rising food insecurity and malnutrition, which significantly contributes to child mortality.

 

“Health does not begin in hospitals alone. It begins in our homes and communities, and it starts with adequate nutrition,” he said.

 

The initiative, backed by federal, state, and private sector support, is expected to serve as a major intervention in tackling hunger and improving public health outcomes nationwide.