First Lady inaugurates Northeast Food Bank to fight malnutrition
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu yesterday launched the Northeast phase of the National Community Food Bank Programme (NCFBP) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. It is part of efforts to tackle
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First Lady Oluremi Tinubu yesterday launched the Northeast phase of the National Community Food Bank Programme (NCFBP) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.
It is part of efforts to tackle child malnutrition and food insecurity among vulnerable populations.
The initiative, which targets malnourished mothers, expectant mothers, and children aged zero to six years, is designed to provide nutritious food to at-risk households through a structured, community-based system.
Launching the initiative, the First Lady described child malnutrition as a pressing national concern requiring urgent and sustained intervention.
Mrs. Tinubu noted that millions of Nigerian children still lack access to adequate nutrition.
In a statement in Abuja by her Senior Special Assistant on Media, Busola Kukoyi, the First Lady said the expansion of the food bank programme across the country is aimed at bridging this gap and ensuring that vulnerable groups receive the nourishment they need to survive and thrive.
“Globally, community food banks have proven to be effective mechanisms for delivering nutritious food to those who need it most. By building strong partnerships among farmers, food producers, corporate organisations, and communities, food banks bridge the gap between abundance and need,” she said.
Mrs. Tinubu stressed that the success of the programme would depend largely on sustained collaboration among government, private sector stakeholders, and communities, urging more individuals and organisations to support the initiative.
She explained that the choice of Borno State for the Northeast rollout was strategic, given the region’s history of security challenges, which have exacerbated food insecurity and malnutrition.
The First Lady hailed Borno State Governor Babagana Zulum for empowering 2,000 women.
She described the governor’s women empowerment as a significant step that complements the objectives of the food bank programme.
Governor Zulum acknowledged the support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the First Lady in addressing the humanitarian challenges facing the state, particularly those arising from insurgency.
He cited recent federal interventions, including the approval of N68 billion for the purchase of fossil fuels for the state’s power plant and the establishment of a College of Education, as evidence of the administration’s commitment to Borno’s recovery.
Also, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, explained that the programme would establish community-based food banks in every local government area, linked to primary healthcare centres and supported by the Basic Health Care Provision Fund in partnership with the Bank of Agriculture.
He added that beneficiaries would receive nutritious, locally sourced food through a voucher system, targeting malnourished children under six, pregnant and lactating women, orphans, and vulnerable households.
Pate also announced that President Tinubu had approved a special intervention of ₦17 billion through the Social Action Fund to support the programme.
The Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, outlined the operational framework of the programme, explaining that mothers and children diagnosed with malnutrition at health facilities would receive vouchers redeemable for food at designated primary healthcare centres.
The Northeast is expected to be a major beneficiary of the initiative, which aims to support about 500,000 households nationwide.
The programme builds on the earlier inauguration of the National Community Food Bank Trust Fund and its Board of Trustees (BoT) at the State House in Abuja on April 2.
As part of her visit, the First Lady also inaugurated a nurses’ quarters as well as two junior and secondary schools and held meetings with traditional leaders, including the Shehu of Borno.
