The Federal Government has announced plans to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme (NHGSFP) to cover about 50 million primary school pupils across the country by 2026.
Aderemi Adebowale, National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA), disclosed this in Abuja during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
She explained that the expansion will not only include pupils in primary one to six but will also gradually integrate out-of-school children into the scheme.
Adebowale stated that the cost of feeding a child daily is expected to range between ₦500 and ₦1,000, noting that balanced and nutritious meals can still be provided within that amount.
To achieve this, she said the agency has developed an alignment system that connects smallholder farmers, aggregators, vendors, and supply partners. This, according to her, will enable the government to negotiate directly with suppliers and avoid fluctuations in market prices.
“With this alignment, we will be able to control costs from the source. We are not depending on market prices. Instead, we will agree on fixed rates with suppliers, agri-vendors, and farmers, and then ensure prompt payment and effective service delivery,” Adebowale added.
