Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has officially launched the National Community Food Bank Programme in the North-East region, unveiling the initiative in Maiduguri, Borno State, as part of renewed efforts to tackle hunger and malnutrition.
The unveiling ceremony took place on Monday during her visit to the state capital, where she described the programme as a critical intervention aimed at supporting vulnerable households, particularly children and mothers affected by food insecurity.
Speaking at the event, the First Lady expressed gratitude for the opportunity to kick-start the initiative in Borno State, noting that it represents a significant step in addressing nutritional challenges across the region and the country at large.
“It is a great honour and privilege to be here. This will be the first assignment while we are here in Borno State for our children and mothers.
I have the honour to commission the National Community Food Bank Programme in the North-East to the glory of God,” she said.
The programme, which is designed to establish community-based food banks across all local government areas, will be linked to primary healthcare centres supported under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
It is being implemented in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture to ensure efficient distribution and sustainability.
According to earlier disclosures, the initiative has already attracted significant financial backing, with pledges exceeding ₦66 billion at its official launch in Abuja.
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Key private sector contributors include the Aliko Dangote Foundation, which committed ₦20 billion over five years, and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, which pledged ₦10 billion over the same period.
Other contributions include ₦500 million from the Emeka Offor Foundation, as well as $500,000 (approximately ₦750 million) from anonymous donors associated with the First Lady’s initiative.
In addition, President Bola Tinubu approved a ₦17 billion special intervention through the Social Action Fund to support the programme’s rollout.
The National Community Food Bank Programme is designed to provide nutritious, locally sourced food through a voucher-based system.
It targets malnourished children under the age of six, pregnant and breastfeeding women, orphans, and other vulnerable groups identified as being at high nutritional and economic risk.
The initiative is widely seen as part of broader social protection efforts aimed at reducing food insecurity and improving health outcomes in underserved communities.