The Nigerian government plans to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme to reach 50 million primary school pupils by 2026.
Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, said the expansion will include pupils from Primary 1 to 6 and eventually out-of-school children. She explained that each child would receive a nutritious meal costing between N500 and N1,000 daily.
Mr. Adebowale noted that the agency manages costs by working with smallholder farmers, aggregators, supply chain actors, and development partners to ensure efficiency.
The feeding initiative is primarily designed to improve nutrition, increase school attendance, and support local farmers. Adebowale also noted that as time goes on, more children will be integrated into the programme.
Officials said scaling up the programme reflects the government’s commitment to child welfare and education, ensuring that millions of Nigerian pupils benefit from daily school meals.
