First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will fully establish the national school feeding programme before the end of President Bola Tinubu’s administration, describing children’s welfare as a key priority of the government.
She gave the assurance while receiving a delegation from the World Bank at the State House in Abuja, where discussions centred on Early Childhood Development (ECD), nutrition, healthcare and education.
According to a statement issued by her office, the First Lady said the Tinubu administration remains committed to policies that improve the wellbeing of Nigerians, particularly children, whom she described as the nation’s greatest asset.
She noted that Nigeria’s large population presents enormous opportunities for growth and development if properly harnessed.
“The population size of Nigeria alone is our advantage because Nigeria is a great nation,” she said.
Mrs Tinubu explained that government ministries have continued to collaborate on programmes aimed at improving public health, environmental sanitation and overall living standards.
She highlighted her partnership with the Ministry of Environment, which led to the launch of the Green Challenge initiative to promote environmental cleanliness.
“The ministries have also been doing their best for the benefit of our nation with environment and sanitation because environmental cleanliness is very key. I worked with the Minister of Environment to an extent, and that was why we started the Green Challenge,” she said.
The First Lady also pointed to the administration’s campaign against tuberculosis, saying public awareness initiatives had been intensified to improve health outcomes across the country.
Turning to children’s welfare, she reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding school feeding, revealing that President Tinubu remains passionate about the programme, having previously implemented a similar initiative during his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
“We are looking forward to school feeding. I can assure that before we finish our tenure, it would have been properly established because even Mr President is very passionate about this, even when he was the Governor in Lagos State,” she said.
She added that her office would continue working closely with the wives of state governors to promote programmes that improve the health, nutrition and welfare of children nationwide.
Speaking during the meeting, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Dr Matthew Verghis, called for stronger collaboration with Nigerian leaders to advance Early Childhood Development, describing it as one of the country’s most valuable long-term investments.
He explained that the World Bank’s new five-year Country Partnership Framework places significant emphasis on investing in people through education, healthcare, nutrition and skills development.
According to Verghis, Nigeria remains one of the World Bank’s largest partners globally, making the country’s success critical to the institution’s broader development goals.
He noted that investments made during pregnancy and the first five years of a child’s life produce lasting social and economic benefits by improving cognitive development, reducing healthcare costs and helping families break the cycle of poverty.
Verghis also encouraged the First Lady to continue using her platform to champion a multi-sectoral approach to Early Childhood Development, while commending her campaign against child malnutrition as being closely aligned with the World Bank’s priorities.
The World Bank delegation visited the State House to brief the First Lady on the bank’s Early Childhood Development programme for Nigeria, which is currently undergoing technical and analytical assessments ahead of implementation.