From Okwe Obi, Abuja
The Federal Government has projected an annual expenditure of N1 trillion to implement its renewed school feeding initiative across Nigeria.
This was revealed by the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Yusuf Sununu, during a stakeholders’ meeting on the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP) held in Abuja yesterday.
According to a statement by the Ministry’s Head of Communication and Public Relations, Attari Hope, the funds will cover the cost of providing nutritious meals to pupils in primary one to three, with a target of three meals per week per child.
The meeting brought together government officials, development partners, and education stakeholders to discuss strategies for sustaining the school feeding scheme under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the event, National Coordinator of the National Social Investment Programme (NSIP), Dr. Badamasi Lawal, said potential funding sources for the programme include presidential support, donations from international partners, and five percent of repatriated public funds.
He emphasised the role of collaborative efforts in tackling hunger and malnutrition:
“As stakeholders, your technical expertise, strategic insights, and financial support are invaluable,” Lawal stated.
“Through this engagement, we aim to identify collaborative pathways that will strengthen and sustain the programme’s goals in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in eradicating hunger, ensuring quality education, and alleviating poverty.”
Dr. Lawal also described the RH-NHGSFP as a transformative component of the Tinubu administration’s vision to tackle national challenges through inclusive, people-focused solutions.
“This programme will address malnutrition, improve school attendance, empower smallholder farmers, and boost local economies, one nutritious meal at a time,” he added.
He further assured that the enhanced model of the programme will promote efficiency, transparency, and measurable impact, with the potential to become a national success story and a model for other countries seeking to implement sustainable school feeding systems.