Dangote Foundation, NNPC pledge N30.5bn for Remi Tinubu’s food bank initiative as total commitments cross N65bn

Major players in Nigeria’s private sector and subnational governments have pledged more than N30.5 billion in support of the national community food bank programme, an initiative spearheaded by Oluremi Tinubu, the first lady, to tackle hunger and food insecurity across the country.

The commitments were announced on Thursday during the programme’s official launch and the inauguration of its board of trustees where over N65 billion was raised for the initiative.

Zouera Youssoufou, managing director and chief executive officer of the Aliko Dangote Foundation, led the pledges with a N20 billion in-kind contribution to be delivered over five years.

She said the foundation’s support would focus on providing fortified and nutritious food to vulnerable households, especially children under the age of six.

“It is an honour to stand here today on behalf of the organised private sector. This programme directly addresses food insecurity among vulnerable households, particularly children under six,” she said.

“Aliko Dangote Foundation will commit N20 billion in-kind support over the next five years on the provision of fortified and nutritious food products.”

Youssoufou also called on other private sector actors to support the initiative, linking it to the federal government’s broader development agenda.

According to her, the success of the programme would be measured by its ability to ensure that no Nigerian child goes to bed hungry.

Sofia Mbakwe, who represented Bayo Ojulari, group executive officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, announced a N10 billion commitment to be disbursed over a five-year period.

She described the initiative as a reflection of purposeful leadership and commended its implementation framework in collaboration with the Bank of Agriculture.

“This ceremony stands as a powerful testament of purposeful leadership by her excellency senator Oluremi Tinubu,” Mbakwe said.

“NNPC Limited is committing a starting sum of N10 billion to be disbursed over the five-year period.”

She added that the company would work with its partners to ensure the programme achieves measurable and lasting impact.

Chijioke James, representing the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, announced an immediate donation of N500 million, describing the intervention “as a symbol of hope” in the fight against hunger.

“Today is not just about launching a fund. It is about launching hope. No society can truly prosper while hunger persists,” he said.

At the grassroots level, Hamisu Mohammed, representing the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), pledged institutional support for the programme, particularly in rural and underserved communities.

Although no financial commitment was announced, he assured of full cooperation in implementing community-based solutions.

He described local governments as custodians of the grassroots and said the initiative aligns with efforts to address rising food costs and deepen poverty reduction strategies nationwide.

Also lending support, Abdulrahman AbdulRazaq, chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) and governor of Kwara state, acknowledged the growing burden of food insecurity across states and signalled plans for substantial financial backing from state governments.

“Across our states, we see the pressure many households face in accessing affordable and nutritious food. More than one-third of children under five are stunted. This points to chronic undernutrition with lasting consequences for fiscal growth and development. This is not only a health issue, it’s a national issue,” he said.

The governor praised the first lady’s commitment to addressing hunger and said the governors would align their efforts with the federal government’s intervention.

He said the NGF will work towards providing counterpart funding that aligns with contributions already announced at the federal level, including a N17 billion pledge by the ministry of health.(TheCable)