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The Osun State Government has disclosed that it spends over ₦32 million daily to sustain its homegrown School Feeding Programme, widely known as O’Meals.
This was revealed by the Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, who stated that more than 200,000 people, including pupils, food vendors, and local suppliers, are direct beneficiaries of the initiative.
According to Alimi, Osun remains the only state in Nigeria to have consistently run a structured school feeding programme since 2006.
In a statement he signed, Alimi announced that the government, through the Ministries of Education, Economic Planning, Budget and Development, and Federal Affairs, will host a high-level stakeholders’ conference focused on the sustainability of the O’Meals programme.
Themed “Sustainability of O’Meals for Improved Child Nutrition in Osun State,” the conference will bring together development partners and international agencies involved in school feeding efforts across Africa and globally.
“This important event aims to enhance discussions around the future of school feeding in sub-national settings, with Osun’s unique experience serving as a case study,” the statement read.
As the only Nigerian state to maintain a continuous and structured school feeding scheme since 2006, Osun’s O’Meals has become a national reference point in debates around food security, child nutrition, and education.
The conference, organised in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD), will take place on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at the NAF Conference Centre, Abuja.
Expected attendees include representatives from the Dangote Foundation, Family Health International (FHI360), UN World Food Programme, Nutrition International, Partnership for Child Development, ActionAid Nigeria, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), among others.
The event will serve as a platform for critical dialogue on sustaining and scaling school feeding initiatives, particularly in resource-limited environments.
The government reiterated its dedication to leaving no child behind. Through deliberate partnerships and effective leadership, Osun continues to demonstrate inclusive and sustainable practices in education and nutrition development