Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the National Community Food Bank Programme in the South-West, saying the initiative is designed to tackle food insecurity and malnutrition among vulnerable households.
The programme was launched on Wednesday at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State, during the First Lady’s one-day official visit to the state.
The initiative is being implemented in line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with a focus on improving access to nutritious food and strengthening health outcomes among vulnerable Nigerians.
Speaking at the launch, Mrs Tinubu said the programme would prioritise children below six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
She clarified that the community food banks were designed specifically to support disadvantaged households and were not food hubs for general commercial distribution.
“A food bank is not a food hub. It is meant for disadvantaged people, and every treatment and service provided there is free,” she said.
The First Lady expressed hope that the initiative would expand to reach vulnerable families across the country.
Mrs Tinubu said three community food banks had been established simultaneously in Sagamu, Yewa North and Abeokuta South Local Government Areas of Ogun State.
The programme is being implemented through a partnership involving the Office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Bank of Agriculture.
She explained that the programme was formally launched and its Board of Trustees inaugurated in Abuja on April 2.
The initiative was subsequently launched in Borno for the North-East on April 27, Jigawa for the North-West on June 29 and Kogi for the North-Central zone on July 11.
The South-West launch in Ogun brings the programme closer to nationwide coverage, with the Federal Government expected to extend it to the South-South and South-East zones.
Mrs Tinubu called on state governments to take ownership of the facilities and establish community food banks close to primary healthcare centres.
She also urged governors across the South-West to establish similar facilities in their states in partnership with the NPHCDA.
According to the First Lady, the food banks are expected to provide vulnerable families with access to nutritious food while supporting broader efforts to address malnutrition.
The initiative is particularly focused on groups considered more vulnerable to the effects of food insecurity, including young children, pregnant women and nursing mothers.
The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, commended the First Lady for her leadership in addressing malnutrition and strengthening food security among vulnerable Nigerians.
The Managing Director of the Bank of Agriculture, Ayo Sotirin, also said the bank would strengthen the financial and supply chains supporting the programme across the country.
During her visit to Ogun State, Mrs Tinubu also inaugurated the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and the 250-bed Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence in Abeokuta.
Governor Dapo Abiodun thanked the First Lady for her commitment to improving the welfare of vulnerable Nigerians and supporting development initiatives in the state.
Abiodun said the community food bank initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s efforts to translate the Renewed Hope Agenda into practical improvements in citizens’ lives.
“Development must ultimately be measured by its impact on human beings,” the governor said.
He added that the true measure of government should not only be the number of projects completed but also the number of lives improved through such interventions.
The governor said the newly inaugurated estate reflected his administration’s commitment to providing decent and affordable housing, while the Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence would strengthen access to quality healthcare and help reduce medical tourism.
Mrs Tinubu also commended the Ogun State Government for its infrastructure development and commitment to improving the welfare of residents.
With further launches planned for the South-South and South-East, the Federal Government aims to complete the nationwide rollout of the National Community Food Bank Programme and expand access to food and nutrition support for vulnerable households.