Federal Government set to provide meals for 50 million pupils in 2026
Federal Government set to provide meals for 50 million pupils in 2026
The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme to reach 50 million primary school pupils by 2026.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, revealed that the initiative would cover pupils from Primary 1 to 6 as well as out-of-school children, who will be gradually integrated into the scheme.
“By 2026, our target is to provide meals for nearly 50 million primary school pupils across Nigeria,” he said.
“Ideally, school feeding should be between N500 to N1,000 per child.
“Even at N500 per child, you should be able to still give the children a nutritious and delicious meal on a daily basis,” she said.
Adebowale added that the agency controlled the price through the formation of an alignment of small-holder farmers, aggregators, supply chain and developing partners.
“With this alignment, we’ll be able to control price from the rock bottom. We are not going to be doing market prices.
She explained that the government is working to agree on prices with suppliers, agri-vendors, and farmers in order to determine a fair cost per meal. “Once that is settled, we will ensure timely payment and effective service delivery,” she added.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that on May 27, 2025, the Federal Government launched the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Project, designed to provide meals to 20 million out-of-school and underserved children by 2026.
The programme was inaugurated in Abuja by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the then Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, who now serves as the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
Implemented under the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, the initiative is being executed in collaboration with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education, as well as the National Identity Management Commission.
Yilwatda described the feeding project as a major component of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, rolled out to commemorate President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office.
