The food banks programme specifically targets vulnerable children under the age of six, pregnant women, and lactating mothers across the zone’s seven states.
The Governor of Jigawa State Umar Namadi, on Monday hosted his colleagues from the Northwest geopolitical zone for the official launch of the National Community Food Bank Programme, alongside a series of other developmental projects in the Hadejia Local Government Area.
The event was attended by all the governors from the Northwest zone namely Uba Sani (Kaduna), Abba Yusuf (Kano); Dikko Umaru Radda (Katsina); Nasir Idris (Kebbi); Ahmed Aliyu (Sokoto); Dauda Lawal (Zamfara) and the host Umar Namadi (Jigawa). They all attended alongside their wives.
Speaking at the zonal launch, Mrs Tinubu stated that the programme directly aligns with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’, which prioritises healthcare outcomes and national food security.
The initiative is being executed through a robust inter-agency partnership involving the Office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Bank of Agriculture (BOA).
Mrs Tinubu said that following the establishment of the Trust Fund on 2 April and a successful North-East launch in Borno State on 27 April, Jigawa marks the second zonal rollout.
“The success of this programme will depend on sustained collaboration,” the First Lady remarked, calling on individuals, institutions, and development partners to actively support the nationwide rollout. “We must work together to build a transparent, accountable, and efficient food bank system that reaches vulnerable households across Nigeria.”
Beyond the food bank launch, the First Lady’s historic first official visit to Jigawa State featured the commissioning of several high-impact infrastructure, healthcare, and educational projects executed by the administration of Governor Namadi and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA).
Mrs Tinubu commissioned the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy and the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic and Dialysis Centre, aimed at advancing digital education, strengthening healthcare delivery, improving road infrastructure and enhancing food security in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Bola Ahmed Tinubu Academy, delivered by the NITDA, is set to offer a comprehensive ecosystem for innovation, combining a state-of-the-art FabLab for AI, robotics, and health tech research with an AI-powered Innovation Hub and startup incubation centre. Its campus is fully equipped with CBT facilities, collaborative workspaces, a modern auditorium, and a 60-bed hostel.
The First Lady also commissioned the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic and Dialysis Centre, built in her honour, and fully equipped by the FutureMap Foundation and eHealth Africa with modern diagnostic and dialysis facilities to expand access to quality healthcare for underserved communities.
To ensure continuous, high-quality medical delivery, the Senator Oluremi Tinubu Clinic is integrated with advanced diagnostic labs, a dialysis centre, a full operating theatre, and maternity wards. The facility is supported by an integrated oxygen system and powered by renewable energy to prevent any service interruptions.
The First Lady urged young people to maximise the opportunities provided by the academy to contribute to Nigeria’s digital transformation. She also commended the Director General of NITDA, Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, CCIE, for his commitment to extending the benefits of technology and innovation to communities across the country.
In his remarks, Governor Namadi said the launching of the food Bank “reminds us of a duty that lies at the heart of public service and a genuine feeling for humanity – that is, ensuring that every child’s growth, health, survival and development are not truncated by his or her family’s inability to afford nutritious food. As we all know, the devastating lifelong effects of food and nutrition insecurity on children, pregnant and lactating mothers are felt by the most vulnerable households.
“I therefore firmly believe that the National Community Food Bank Initiative is a timely intervention that will not only bring food resources closer to the people who need them most but will also contribute to our quest for better nutrition indices among children.
“We acknowledge, with gratitude, the vision and compassion of Her Excellency through the Renewed Hope Initiative. The Food Bank Programme responds to both immediate needs and the long-term well-being of our children. Beyond relief, it offers a credible platform to improve nutrition and support vulnerable households through partnerships with stakeholders, including community leaders, farmers, the private sector, civil society, and development partners.
“This aligns strongly with our commitments for Greater Jigawa and our priorities for human capital development”, Governor Namadi said.
