Dangote, NNPCL Donate N30bn To First Lady’s Food Bank Programme

The National Community Food Bank Programme attracted pledges exceeding N66bn at its official launch and inauguration of the Board of Trustees held at the State House Conference Centre in Abuja on Thursday.

The initiative, spearheaded by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, drew significant backing from both the public and private sectors, with major contributions from leading institutions and philanthropies.

The Aliko Dangote Foundation emerged as the largest private sector donor, committing N20bn in-kind support over five years. This was followed by a N10bn pledge from Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited) within the same period.

Other contributions included an upfront N500m donation from the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, while unnamed supporters of the First Lady donated $500,000, estimated at about N750m.

Announcing the figures, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Ali Pate, disclosed that President Bola Tinubu had approved a N17bn intervention fund through the Social Action Fund to support the programme.

He explained that the funds would be deployed using a community-based procurement model across wards nationwide to boost local food systems and ensure efficient delivery.

Pate further noted that if all 36 state governments contribute N500m each as proposed, an additional N18bn would be mobilised, significantly increasing the programme’s funding base.

Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, assured that governors would consider matching the Federal Government’s contribution.

Speaking on behalf of the Dangote Foundation, its Managing Director, Zouera Youssoufou, said the N20bn pledge would support the provision of fortified and nutritious food, while urging greater private sector participation.

The programme is designed to tackle malnutrition and food insecurity by establishing community-based food banks in every local government area. It targets vulnerable groups including children under six, pregnant and lactating women, and low-income households.

According to Pate, the intervention aligns with the administration’s broader social and health agenda, emphasising that adequate nutrition is fundamental to national development.

He noted that the programme would operate through a voucher system, enabling beneficiaries to access locally sourced, nutritious food while supporting domestic agricultural production.

Implementation will be driven by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare in collaboration with relevant agencies, leveraging Nigeria’s primary healthcare network.

The initiative also received backing from local government authorities, development partners, and traditional institutions, reflecting broad-based support for a programme positioned as a key response to rising food insecurity and malnutrition across the country.