The Federal Government has unveiled a bold plan to feed 50 million primary school pupils under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) starting in 2026.
The announcement, confirmed by the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), signals the government’s intention to expand the reach of the scheme beyond its earlier target of 20 million children. The programme, which was suspended for over a year, is now being revived with renewed focus on nationwide coverage.
According to NSIPA, the new target will include pupils from Primary 1 to Primary 6 in public schools across all states. Officials explained that the aim is not only to boost classroom attendance and reduce dropouts but also to fight malnutrition among Nigerian children while supporting local farmers through food sourcing.
The plan, however, comes with serious challenges. Inflation and rising food costs mean the government will need a much larger budget to sustain daily meals. Distribution, monitoring, and staffing — including thousands of cooks and vendors — will also have to be scaled up. Past concerns over mismanagement and irregularities in the scheme have raised questions about accountability.
Still, federal authorities insist the programme will be properly managed this time. “We are determined to make this work because the future of our children depends on it,” an official told LensNews.
If implemented as announced, the 2026 rollout could become one of the largest social investment programmes in Nigeria’s history, reshaping both education and food security in the country.
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