FG Plans to Feed 50 Million Pupils by 2026

The Federal Government has announced a bold plan to expand the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme to reach as many as 50 million children by 2026. This ambitious goal is part of efforts to combat malnutrition, boost school enrolment, and create opportunities for local farmers while ensuring that millions of Nigerian children receive at least one nutritious meal each day.

Dr. Aderemi Adebowale, who serves as the National Programme Manager of the National Social Investment Programme Agency, disclosed the details during an interview in Abuja. She explained that the government’s vision is to extend the feeding initiative to cover all levels of primary school education, from Primary 1 through Primary 6, while gradually making provisions for out-of-school children. According to her, the programme is not only about putting food on the table but also about tackling deeper issues such as hunger, inequality, and access to education in underserved communities.

Adebowale noted that the agency is working step by step to integrate out-of-school children into the initiative. She explained that the ultimate target is to ensure that by 2026, nearly 50 million Nigerian pupils will benefit from daily meals provided under the programme. This, she said, would represent the most extensive scale-up of the school feeding initiative since its inception.

The programme has been designed to provide balanced meals that will help children stay healthy, focused, and better prepared for learning. Adebowale stated that the cost per meal is projected to range between 500 and 1,000 naira per child, an amount she believes is sufficient to deliver a meal that is both nutritious and appealing. To manage costs effectively, the agency intends to work closely with small-holder farmers, aggregators, and supply chain partners. Through these collaborations, the government aims to secure food at affordable prices and ensure efficient delivery across the country, even to remote communities.

The expansion builds on the foundation laid by the Alternate Education and Renewed Hope National Home-Grown School Feeding Project, which was officially launched in May 2025. That initiative was targeted at reaching 20 million out-of-school and underserved children, providing them with regular meals as part of efforts to draw them into the education system. By scaling up to 50 million, the government hopes to make the school feeding programme a central tool for national development.

The programme is being implemented under the wider National Social Investment Programme, in partnership with agencies such as the National Commission for Almajiri and Out-of-School Children Education and the National Identity Management Commission. The partnerships are designed to ensure that meals reach children who need them most, including those in rural, underserved, and hard-to-reach areas. The strategy is not only about nutrition but also about boosting enrolment and attendance rates in public schools, particularly in communities where poverty and hunger are major barriers to education.

The government has also tied the initiative to its broader economic goals. By sourcing food items locally, the school feeding programme is expected to create steady markets for farmers and stimulate agricultural production across the country. Small-holder farmers will be given opportunities to supply staple foods such as grains, vegetables, and fruits, while poultry and fish farmers are expected to benefit from increased demand. Adebowale emphasized that the programme is as much about economic empowerment as it is about children’s welfare, as it links education, nutrition, and agriculture in one framework.

The 2025 national budget allocated 100 billion naira for the programme, reflecting the government’s commitment to sustaining and expanding the feeding initiative. Officials believe that investing in children’s nutrition is one of the surest ways to secure the future of the country. A child who eats well is more likely to attend school regularly, concentrate in class, and perform better academically. In the long run, better education and improved health outcomes could translate into a more productive workforce and stronger national development.

The government has stressed that it views the programme as a long-term investment rather than a short-term welfare scheme. In many communities, the prospect of children receiving free daily meals has already helped boost school enrolment, especially among families struggling with poverty. For such households, the programme reduces the burden of providing food during school hours and reassures parents that their children are getting at least one nutritious meal a day.

Despite the optimism, the programme faces challenges that will need to be carefully managed. Scaling up to reach 50 million pupils in a vast and diverse country like Nigeria requires strong logistics, accountability, and efficient monitoring systems. Issues such as inflation, rising food costs, and supply chain disruptions could pose significant hurdles. There will also be the challenge of ensuring quality and consistency of meals across thousands of schools. Adebowale acknowledged these realities but expressed confidence that collaboration with stakeholders, including state governments and private partners, will make the expansion feasible.

For the Federal Government, the school feeding programme is about more than food—it is a cornerstone of the Renewed Hope Agenda, symbolizing a commitment to inclusive growth and social protection. By making education more accessible and attractive to millions of children, the initiative could help reverse the trend of out-of-school children in Nigeria, which remains one of the highest in the world.

Ultimately, the success of the initiative will depend on careful planning, transparent execution, and sustained political will. If achieved, the target of feeding 50 million pupils by 2026 would not only be historic but could also redefine how Nigeria tackles child hunger, out-of-school rates, and rural poverty. For many children and their families, the programme represents more than a plate of food it is a lifeline that can open doors to education, health, and opportunity.