The Federal Government has announced plans to scale up the Homegrown School Feeding Programme to reach 20 million pupils by 2026, describing it as both an educational investment and a national security strategy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima disclosed this on Friday at the National Policy Forum on the Institutionalisation and Implementation of the Renewed Hope National Homegrown School Feeding Programme held in Abuja. The forum was convened by the Presidential Committee on Economic and Financial Inclusion, in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and other stakeholders.
Represented by Dr. Kolade Fasua, Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Office of the Vice President, Shettima said the expansion under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda marks the boldest phase in the history of the intervention.
He explained that the programme—relaunched earlier this year—is designed to boost school enrollment, improve learning outcomes, and strengthen local economies by creating guaranteed markets for smallholder farmers, women entrepreneurs, and food processors.
“The Renewed Hope School Feeding Programme signals a decisive return to scale and systemisation. It is designed to improve enrollment and attendance, enhance academic performance, and raise smallholder incomes through stable local procurement,” Shettima stated.
The Vice President further revealed that alongside the core programme, the government has introduced the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope School Feeding Project, targeting out-of-school and highly vulnerable children, with the ambition of reaching 20 million pupils by 2026.
With the integration of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) system, Shettima assured that transparency and accountability will be maintained, ensuring that “real pupils receive real meals, and every naira spent works twice—once for the child, and once for the local economy.”
While acknowledging that sustaining nationwide coverage could cost up to ₦1 trillion, he stressed that the programme should not be seen as a drain on public funds but as a nation-building investment with high social, economic, and security returns.
“Every hot meal served in a classroom is a shield against recruitment into violent groups, a reinforcement of state presence, and a source of hope in conflict-prone communities,” Shettima emphasized.
He urged state governments, private investors, and development partners to align with the Federal Government’s vision, noting that the success of the programme would be measured not just in hunger-free classrooms, but also in safer, more resilient communities.
In his keynote, the Minister of State for Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Dr. Tanko Sununu (represented by Mr. Valentine Ezulu, Director of Social Development), called for the enactment of a National Homegrown School Feeding Act to give the programme legal backing and continuity across political cycles.
He also recommended the development of a National Nutrition Guideline in line with international best practices, to guarantee safe, balanced, and healthy meals for all children.
“We must enact a legal framework that ensures continuity and define clear cost-sharing roles for federal, state, and local governments. A national nutrition guideline will further guarantee safe, quality, and nutritious meals for every child,” Ezulu said.
