We Will Feed 50 Million School Pupils By 2026 – FG

The federal government has announced plans to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) to reach 50 million primary school pupils across Nigeria by 2026.

Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), revealed this while briefing journalists in Abuja. 

She explained that the government’s vision is not only to scale up the existing programme but also to cover more categories of learners.

“We are working to extend the initiative to cover children in Primary 1 to 6 as well as those who are currently out of school. 

"Our goal is that by 2026, nearly 50 million children will be receiving nutritious meals daily in schools across the country,” Adebowale said.

According to her, the feeding plan is designed to be both affordable and sustainable. 

She noted that the cost per child would range between ₦500 and ₦1,000, stressing that even at the lower band, pupils would still get balanced meals.

“Children deserve meals that are both nutritious and tasty. Even at ₦500 per child, we can provide that, provided we manage the supply chain effectively,” she added.

Adebowale further explained that NSIPA is relying on an integrated model that involves smallholder farmers, food aggregators, and supply partners. 

This structure, she said, ensures better price control and prevents market fluctuations from affecting the programme.

“With the alignment of our suppliers, agri-vendors, and farmers, we can negotiate fair prices and avoid open-market rates.

"Once prices are fixed, our focus will be on timely payments and strict monitoring of service delivery,” she stated.

The school feeding scheme, introduced to boost school enrollment and improve child nutrition, has been one of the federal government’s flagship social investment programmes. 

Officials say the planned expansion will not only benefit pupils but also stimulate local food production and create thousands of jobs in farming and catering.

If fully implemented without corruption and embezzlement, the initiative could become one of the most far-reaching social welfare projects in Africa.