Nigeria allocates N100 billion for national home grown school feeding program in 2025 budget 

The funding is designed to continue the initiative aimed at providing meals to public primary school students across the country.

The program seeks to improve both education and health outcomes for children while also supporting local agriculture.

According to the National Assembly of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the total 2025 budget is N49.74 trillion, sourced from the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation.

The bill outlines various allocations, including the N100 billion dedicated to the NHGSFP. These provisions aim to ensure the effective management and development of the country’s resources.

Launched in 2005 under President Olusegun Obasanjo, the NHGSFP was designed to improve students’ health and education by providing nutritious meals and creating a stable market for local farmers.

The program’s implementation was marred by widespread controversy. After discovering alleged corruption in the early phases, Maryam Uwais, the then Special Adviser to the President on Social Investments, revealed that the program had been suspended in some states due to reports of poor-quality food, irregular food supply, and delayed disbursements from state governors.

Despite the controversies, the government continues to prioritize the NHGSFP in its budgetary allocations, aiming to increase school enrollment by 20% and improve academic performance by 15% by 2025.

The bill outlines the procedure for virements, or reallocations of funds, in the event that a project cannot be completed as planned.

In a further blow to the NHGSFP’s credibility, a report from October 2022 revealed that the Nassarawa State government uncovered 349 “ghost schools” included in the feeding program.