WorldStage– The National Food-bank programme, an initiative of the Office of the wife of Nigeria’s President has attracted pledges of N20 billion in support over the next five years by Alhaji Aliko Dangote, President of Dangote Group.
In the same vein, Sir Emeka Offor, Founding Chairman of the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation, donated N500 million to the National Community Investment Programme while Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Limited, announced that the company would contribute a N10 million expansion fund over five years to support the programme’s objectives.
The official inauguration of the programme’s Trust Fund on Thursday in Abuja, brought together business leaders, government officials, and stakeholders across sectors.
Speaking at the event, Dangote lauded the wife of the President, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, for her leadership and vision, noting that the initiative directly addressed the urgent needs of vulnerable households, especially women and children.
Dangote also noted that the private sector engagement was crucial to national development, adding that partnerships between government and private entities were key to ensuring long-term impact.
He highlighted the role of Dangote Group in previous national initiatives, including the CEO Corps for Nutrition and COVID-19 response efforts, as examples of effective collaboration.
Ojulari said NNPC Limited, would also leverage strategic partners to enhance collaborations, improve product design, and strengthen business initiatives.
He noted that the initiative aligned with the company’s social mandate to support livelihoods, create jobs, and promote social stability beyond the energy sector.
Sir Emeka Offor said that the programme reflected a commitment to the welfare of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens while fostering collaboration between government and the private sector.
The community food-bank programme, a core component of the initiative, is designed to address urgent challenges of food insecurity, strengthen agricultural value chains, and ensure transparency and sustainability through robust governance and financial frameworks modeled on the Bank of Agriculture.
The organisers say the programme is intended to deliver measurable improvements in nutrition, empower smallholder farmers, and enhance household resilience.Private sector partners reaffirmed their readiness to work alongside government and other stakeholders to ensure the initiative’s success, emphasising that collective action is key to building a Nigeria where no child goes to bed hungry.
