The Federal Government has launched a national Community Food Bank Programme to tackle malnutrition among children under six. The initiative, unveiled on Tuesday in Abuja during the National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit, is a collaboration between the Office of the First Lady, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA).
The programme will operate through Primary Health Centres across the country, registering eligible families and providing caregivers with counselling and food vouchers redeemable for locally grown, nutritious food at community food banks. A Trust Fund, supported by private sector partners and individual donors, will oversee funding and accountability. The advocacy campaign will begin in the North-east, starting with Borno State, and will later expand to all six geopolitical zones.
Child malnutrition remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, with nearly one in three children under five stunted and an estimated two million suffering from severe acute malnutrition. The initiative aims to improve access to safe and nutritious food, strengthen community nutrition support, and contribute to ending preventable child deaths linked to malnutrition.
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Government officials, including First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Coordinating Minister of Health Muhammed Pate, stressed the importance of human resources in national development, while traditional and religious leaders committed to raising awareness and supporting programme implementation nationwide.
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