Nigeria activates steering committee for National Food Bank Programme

Health

ABUJA, Nigeria, 12 April 2026 (NPA) — The Federal Government has inaugurated the Steering Committee for the National Community Food Bank Programme, marking a significant step towards tackling malnutrition and strengthening food support systems across Nigeria.

At the inaugural meeting in Abuja, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, urged members to move swiftly from planning to execution, stressing that the programme’s success would be judged by its impact on vulnerable communities. “This Committee must ensure that implementation is not only coordinated, but effective. This is not about meetings, but about results that improve the lives of Nigerians,” he said.

According to a statement by Ado Bako, Assistant Director of Information and Public Relations at the ministry, the initiative—championed by First Lady Oluremi Tinubu—is designed to address acute malnutrition and provide community-level food and nutrition support across all 774 Local Government Areas.

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The Steering Committee, chaired by Prof. Pate, includes senior representatives from the Federal Ministries of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Agriculture and Food Security, Women Affairs, and Health and Social Welfare. It also features leaders of key implementing agencies such as the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA). This multi-sectoral composition reflects a whole-of-government approach, recognising that food security requires coordinated action across health, agriculture, and social protection systems.

The Committee is tasked with providing strategic oversight, aligning sectoral efforts, mobilising resources, and ensuring accountability and transparency. A structured coordination framework was outlined, including regular performance reviews, stakeholder engagement, and mechanisms to track progress as the programme expands nationwide.

The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that the National Community Food Bank Programme delivers measurable improvements in nutrition, reduces vulnerability, and builds more resilient communities. The official flag-off of the programme is scheduled to take place in Borno State later this month.