Nigeria Expands National Food Bank Programme as Oluremi Tinubu Launches South-South Phase

Nigeria’s National Community Food Bank Programme has entered another phase with the launch of the initiative in the South-South region.

First Lady Oluremi Tinubu led the latest rollout as the Federal Government continues efforts to establish community-based mechanisms for addressing food insecurity.

The programme focuses on vulnerable households, particularly children under six, pregnant women and nursing mothers.

It was first launched nationally in Abuja in April 2026 before being extended to different parts of the country.

The First Lady said the initiative was designed to provide a sustainable response to food insecurity and malnutrition.

She said the objective was to make nutritious food accessible to vulnerable Nigerians through community-based facilities.

The programme is being implemented in collaboration with government institutions involved in health, primary healthcare and agricultural development.

Mrs Tinubu has called on state governments to take ownership of the facilities and ensure their continued operation.

She said the Federal Government was providing a national framework but that the success of the programme would require strong participation from state governments.

The First Lady has proposed that community food banks be located close to primary healthcare centres.

Such locations, she said, would help vulnerable families access the support provided through the programme.

The initiative also seeks to link food support with existing community structures.

Mrs Tinubu said Nigeria’s malnutrition challenge requires a coordinated response involving different levels of government.

She therefore urged governors to provide operational support for food banks established within their states.

The First Lady also said the initiative should not end with the current administration.

She expressed the desire for the food bank system to become a continuous programme that can support vulnerable Nigerians over the long term.

The programme’s target groups include young children, pregnant women and lactating mothers.

These groups are among those identified by the initiative as requiring particular attention in efforts to improve access to nutritious food.

The South-South rollout represents another stage in the national expansion of the programme.

The Federal Government has said the community food bank system is intended to complement broader efforts to address hunger and malnutrition.

Mrs Tinubu has also encouraged states to develop sustainable structures around the initiative rather than rely solely on federal intervention.

The latest launch therefore increases the geographical reach of Nigeria’s National Community Food Bank Programme and reinforces the call for federal-state cooperation in tackling food insecurity.