First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has launched the South-West Zonal National Community Food Bank in Ogun State, calling on governments across the region to replicate the initiative to combat food insecurity and malnutrition.
The launch, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta, is part of efforts to ensure that vulnerable Nigerians, particularly children, pregnant women and nursing mothers, have regular access to nutritious food.
Senator Tinubu urged South-West governors to establish community food banks in their respective states in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
She explained that such partnerships would support the supply of food items while providing the operational framework required to sustain the initiative.
According to the First Lady, the National Community Food Bank Programme is designed as a deliberate and sustainable response to food insecurity, with priority given to children under six years, pregnant women and lactating mothers.
She expressed hope that the programme would be sustained nationwide, stressing that its ultimate goal was to ensure that every Nigerian child receives adequate nutrition and a healthy foundation for the future.
Senator Tinubu said the initiative aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, particularly its focus on food security, healthcare, social protection and human capital development.
She also advocated the location of food banks close to Primary Healthcare Centres to make them easily accessible to vulnerable families.
The First Lady clarified that, unlike food hubs, community food banks are specifically intended to provide free food support to disadvantaged and vulnerable members of society. She added that state governments were expected to take ownership of the facilities.
Speaking at the event, Ogun State Governor Dapo Abiodun said the initiative reflected the shared commitment of the Federal Government and the state towards building a more prosperous and inclusive society.
Abiodun maintained that government projects should be measured not only by the number commissioned but by the number of lives they positively transform.
He said locating food banks within Primary Healthcare Centres would help government identify vulnerable households, support malnourished children and provide assistance to pregnant and nursing mothers.
In his goodwill message, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the programme would go beyond food distribution by creating a sustainable connection between farmers and consumers.
Kyari said the initiative demonstrated the Federal Government’s commitment to tackling food insecurity while preserving the dignity of vulnerable families.
The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Ali Pate, described the programme as an important platform for addressing health challenges linked to food insecurity and ensuring that vulnerable children and women have access to adequate nutrition.
Meanwhile, the Executive Secretary of the NPHCDA, Dr Muyi Aina, said the agency would work with relevant stakeholders to strengthen food production and ensure the availability of nutritious food.
He disclosed that the programme targets pregnant women and children between six months and six years and would be domiciled within the country’s 13,500 Primary Healthcare Centres.
The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Michael Aremu Gbadebo, commended the First Lady for the initiative, saying it had the potential to provide significant relief to vulnerable Nigerians.
The First Lady’s visit also featured the commissioning of the National Community Food Bank at Makun, Sagamu, as well as the President Muhammadu Buhari Estate and Gateway Medical Centre of Excellence in Ogun State.
