The Federal Government has officially launched the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Project, with a target of reaching 20 million out-of-school and informal learners by 2026.
The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, announced the initiative on Tuesday in Abuja during its launch, which coincided with Children’s Day celebrations.
According to Yilwatda, the programme is being implemented through the Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (RH-NHGSFP), in collaboration with the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
“This project is not just about feeding—it’s a holistic approach to education, nutrition, and dignity,” Yilwatda said. He emphasized that it aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s second year in office and is a flagship programme under the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).
The initiative is designed to address the growing number of out-of-school children by integrating education with daily school meals. Karsana II, a nomadic settlement in the FCT, has been selected as the pilot site. Temporary learning centres for Primary One to Three have already been established, along with staff facilities and a solar-powered borehole to ensure clean water access.
“This dual intervention of education and nutrition is aimed at boosting school attendance, retention, and cognitive development,” the minister added.
Professor Badamasi Lawal, NSIPA’s CEO, said the programme has evolved from a basic nutrition plan into a strategic policy tool for inclusion and socio-economic development.
“With this programme, we’re reaching children in the most unconventional and underserved environments—displaced camps, informal settlements, and almajiri schools. This is governance with intention,” Lawal said.
Dr. Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of RH-NHGSFP, noted that 200 almajiri children will be reached in the pilot phase in Karsana. The initiative adopts a community-led model that merges feeding, foundational learning, and digital identity verification through a partnership between RH-NHGSFP, the Almajiri Commission, and NIMC.
Dr. Nurudeen Zauro, a technical advisor to the president on economic inclusion, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to inclusive development through this programme, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The House of Representatives also pledged support for the project, with the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Poverty Alleviation, Alex Ikwechegh, describing it as a critical tool in the government’s fight against poverty.
NAN
