Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has reaffirmed President Bola Tinubu’s commitment to establishing a sustainable national school feeding programme, expressing confidence that the initiative will be fully institutionalised before the end of the administration. She made the remarks while receiving a World Bank delegation at the State House, Abuja.
First Lady Oluremi Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government is committed to building a sustainable school feeding programme that will outlive the current administration.
She said President Bola Tinubu has remained passionate about the initiative for many years, stressing that the programme will be firmly established before the administration leaves office.
Mrs Tinubu gave the assurance on Monday while receiving a delegation from the World Bank led by its Country Director for Nigeria, Dr. Matthew Verghis, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
The meeting focused on the World Bank’s Early Childhood Development programme and a proposed five-year implementation roadmap aimed at improving nutrition, education, sanitation and healthcare outcomes for Nigerian children.
Speaking during the meeting, the First Lady said President Tinubu had consistently demonstrated strong interest in school feeding dating back to his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
She expressed confidence that the programme would become properly structured and sustainable before the administration completes its tenure, adding that the President has assembled a team capable of driving such reforms successfully.
World Bank Country Director Dr. Matthew Verghis described Nigeria as one of the institution’s most important global partners, noting that the country’s success is critical to achieving many of the bank’s global development targets.
He explained that the proposed Early Childhood Development initiative would focus on child nutrition, healthcare, education and early learning, while urging stronger collaboration across government ministries and agencies.
The renewed commitment comes as the Federal Government intensifies efforts to strengthen child nutrition and early childhood development through partnerships with international development agencies. If implemented as planned, the school feeding programme is expected to become a major pillar of the administration’s social investment agenda before the end of President Tinubu’s tenure.