Major corporate and public sector players in Nigeria have pledged a combined N30.5 billion in support of the National Community Food Bank Programme spearheaded by First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, as total commitments for the initiative surpassed N65 billion.
The fresh pledges came from the Aliko Dangote Foundation and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, reinforcing growing support for the programme aimed at tackling hunger and malnutrition across the country.
At the official launch and inauguration of the programme’s Board of Trustees in Abuja, stakeholders disclosed that the Dangote Foundation committed N20 billion in-kind support over five years, while NNPC pledged N10 billion within the same period.
The initiative, known as the National Community Food Bank Programmed, is designed to provide nutritious, locally sourced food to vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and low-income households. It will operate through community-based structures linked to primary healthcare centres nationwide.
In addition to private sector contributions, the Federal Government has approved a N17 billion intervention fund through the Social Action Fund to boost the programmed. There are also expectations that state governments will contribute counterpart funding, potentially increasing the total pool significantly.
Other donations include contributions from foundations, development partners, and private individuals, bringing the overall commitments to over N65 billion at the early stage of the initiative.
Officials say the programmed is a key component of efforts to address food insecurity and malnutrition in Nigeria, with a focus on sustainable, community-driven solutions.
