The Federal Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to expand its Homegrown School Feeding Programme to reach 20 million children by 2026, pitching it not just as a welfare initiative but as a national security strategy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Special Adviser on Economic Affairs, Dr. Kolade Fasua, announced the target on Friday at a National Policy Forum on the programme’s institutionalisation, held in Abuja.
The forum, organised by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders, highlighted how the relaunch of the programme under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is being positioned as the boldest phase yet.
Shettima explained that the initiative goes beyond providing meals in schools.
It is designed to improve enrollment, enhance learning outcomes, and build a guaranteed market for smallholder farmers, women cooks, and local food processors.
“This is more than feeding children; it is an investment in their future and in the nation’s stability,” he said. “Every meal served is a barrier against poverty, against recruitment into violent groups, and a sign that government presence is felt in every community.”
He stressed that while sustaining the scheme nationwide could cost as much as ₦1 trillion, it should not be seen as a financial burden.
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“Ambition requires investment. This programme delivers double value—nourishing children while strengthening local economies,” he added.
The Vice President also noted that the integration of the National Identity Management Commission system would ensure accountability so that “real pupils receive real meals, and every naira spent benefits both the child and the local economy.”
The federal government has also launched a complementary scheme, the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope School Feeding Project, to target out-of-school and highly vulnerable children, bringing the total reach to an estimated 20 million in two years.
At the event, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Sununu (represented by Director of Social Development, Mr. Valentine Ezulu), called for legislation to guarantee continuity across administrations.
He also urged the development of a national nutrition guideline to ensure the meals provided are safe, balanced, and in line with global best practices.
Stakeholders at the forum emphasized that the programme’s success should be measured not only by hunger-free classrooms but also by the ripple effects — safer communities, empowered women, thriving local markets, and fewer children vulnerable to exploitation.