FG to feed 10m pupils as school feeding programme relaunches May 29
By Sodiq Adelakun
The Federal Government will formally relaunch the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP) on 29 May, coinciding with the second anniversary of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The announcement was made on Wednesday in Abuja by the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr Yusuf Sununu, during a strategic planning session with development partners, non-governmental organisations, and key government stakeholders.
Dr Sununu revealed that the revamped initiative is designed to reach 10 million pupils in public primary schools, specifically those in Primary One to Three. The scheme also seeks to bolster local agricultural economies by sourcing ingredients directly from community-based farmers.
“Our objective is to provide nutritious meals to every pupil in the early years of public primary education, nurturing their development while laying the foundation for a stronger nation,” said Sununu, underlining the urgency of the intervention amid forecasts suggesting that more than 30 million Nigerians could experience food insecurity this year.
The Minister projected that the scheme could result in a 20 per cent increase in school enrolment and a 15 per cent improvement in academic performance by the end of 2025.
The initiative extends beyond feeding, embedding systems of transparency, accountability, and local engagement. Sununu called on parents to take active roles in the process and confirmed that cooks involved in the programme would receive training to meet hygiene and nutritional standards.
Aderemi Adebowale, the National Programme Manager, described the scheme as “an investment in Nigeria’s future”, noting that N100 billion has been allocated in the 2025 budget to expand its reach and amplify its benefits.
“This is not merely a nutrition programme. It uplifts women, engages youth, reinforces smallholder farming, and cultivates a resilient, localised food supply chain,” Adebowale said.
She emphasised that the renewed model is built on inclusive, sustainable practices and assured stakeholders that previous shortcomings, particularly in logistics and farmer participation, would be addressed under the new structure.
Development partners, including the AMA Foundation and Tetra Pak, have expressed support for the relaunch. Sununu described the programme as a national effort that “thrives on shared responsibility and collective action.”
“This is a capital-intensive initiative, and its success hinges on everyone playing their part, from local cooks to federal policymakers,” he stated.
The school feeding programme, which initially ran from 2018 to 2022, made measurable progress in increasing school attendance and improving child nutrition. However, it encountered logistical and structural challenges that ultimately hampered its sustainability. With a renewed focus, strengthened oversight, and fresh financial backing, the 2025 relaunch aims to restore faith in the programme and offer a brighter future for Nigeria’s children.