FG targets 50m pupils in school feeding by 2026

The Federal Government says it will expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme to reach 50 million pupils by 2026

Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), revealed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

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According to her, the scheme will be extended to cover pupils from primary 1 to 6, as well as out-of-school children, who are being integrated step by step.

“By the year 2026, we are looking at feeding close to 50 million pupils in primary school in Nigeria,” she said.

Adebowale noted that a nutritious meal could be provided for as low as ₦500 per child, adding that price stability would be ensured through alignment between smallholder farmers, aggregators, suppliers, and development partners.

“With this alignment, we’ll be able to control price from the rock bottom. We are not going to be doing market prices.

We’ll agree with suppliers, agri-vendors and farmers to arrive at a reasonable cost per plate, then follow up on payment and service delivery,” she explained.

The announcement follows the May 27, 2025 inauguration of the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Project, designed to provide meals for 20 million out-of-school and underserved children by 2026.

The initiative was launched in Abuja by Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and current National Chairman of the APC, as part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

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The NHGSFP, a flagship of the National Social Investment Programme, has been identified as a key intervention to tackle malnutrition, boost school enrolment, and empower local farmers through structured supply chains.